Happy Birthday, One Piece!
by IIangelofmusicII
Summary: A series in which each major character in One Piece receives a drabble or one-shot on their respective birthdays! More details inside. Rated T for some mature themes. Spoilers will depend on each chapter. Latest Birthday: Roronoa Zoro
1. Jan 1- Jan List and Ace

He was sitting in one of the many dark storage rooms on the grand ship that easily dwarfed his former. He swallowed the impulse to punch the floorboards. That ship had been with him through most of his journey! As soon as he got the chance, he would kill the old geezer! How dare that Newgate fool... He forced himself to calm down a bit, telling himself that this was no way to celebrate. He crossed his legs and pulled out from his pocket the small package he had stolen earlier from the kitchen. It was a small, brown paper bag. In it contained his 'birthday cake'. Whoopee. He thought of all his previous birthdays with his crew. This would be the first year in a long time he would be celebrating without them. He frowned at the thought, but tore the bag open anyways. He pulled out the spongy bread that had been sitting in the bag, and cupped it in one hand. He took his finger and stabbed the 'cake', as was his tradition. The tip of his finger emerged from the other side of the bread. He lit the tip of his finger and watched as the small flame rose and illuminated the rest of the dark room. He felt a tear run down his cheek. He missed his nakama so, so much. He thought of the adventures they'd had, and he wondered if he'd ever be free again. Ace slowly opened his mouth and whispered 'Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me,' on the second 'Happy', his voice cracked, but he kept going. 'Happy Birthday dear A-Ace,' he stuttered, 'Happy Birthday to me.' He finished, his lower lip trembling as he allowed himself 3 more tears. Then 9. Then he broke into a quiet sob until he finally fell asleep.

* * *

A.N.: Sorry for the dreary beginning, but Happy New Year! Welcome to my newest series of fan fiction! In this series, I will be covering _**all**_ the major One Piece character's birthdays! Each character will be given a drabble or one shot, and it will be posted on their respective birth dates. Just to inform you, the timeline will not be consistent, and I will place characters in various different settings and times. At the beginning of each month, I will post an Author's Note on the birthdays that will appear for that month. If you see that I have missed someone, please do not be afraid to call me out on it. A reminder, characters being covered must have had some, great impact on the arc in some, great way. Here is the list of characters being covered this month:

Jan 1- Ace

Jan 3- Aisa and Iceburg

Jan 8- Emporio Ivankov

Jan 10- Eustass Kid and Otohime

Jan 17- Capone Bege

Jan 27- Lola

Also, Happy Birthday to Oda-Sensei! Here's to a great year!


	2. Jan 2- Ace Follow Up

Ace was sleeping soundly in his soft, new, comfy bed. Admittedly, it had already been a month since he's agreed to be a Whitebeard pirate, but he still couldn't get over the cushiness of his new sleeping quarters. Perhaps it was because he'd spent the last year refusing any sort of hospitality from the Yonko. Granted, he'd slept on hardwood floors as as a child, but he and his brothers had always shared a futon. Now that he had a proper (as well as comfortable) resting place, the crew found it nearly impossible to shake him out of bed. The one exception being Thatch, the rest of his new Nakama would get a fiery punch in the face if they woke him up before noon. As was such, his days weren't very productive. However, today he _had_ to wake up early. So, the crew sent up Thatch to wake the birthday boy.

Now, Thatch was a bit nervous to be waking up the 'Fire Fist'. The crew had been celebrating at midnight for the New Year, and not only was the other commander exhausted, but he was also hungover, which made for a rather nasty combination. Thatch shifted his package to his left hand to quietly knock with his right on the door to Ace's room. When no one responded, he quietly turned the knob and entered. Thatch cringed at the sight before him. To Thatch, a naturally organized person, Ace's dumpster site of a room was a nuisance to enter, and ever a thing for Thatch to pester him about. Honestly, the boy's excuse of it being 'comforting, like back home' made Thatch wonder if the fire-user actually used to live in a dump. As Thatch picked his way through dirty underwear and busted weapons, the item he held in his hand wobbled as he tiptoed through the mess. He steadied himself, and finally made his way to Ace's headrest. The boy was drooling all over his pillow, and Thatch made a mental note to tease him about it later. As he looked over the fire-user's peaceful face, he began positioning himself for the first shot in what was to be a long fight. He held his package over Ace's face, and just as the boy breathed in, the pie went slamming down onto his face. The commander awoke with a start, and the pie dropped off his face, leaving a trail of cream and cherries. Thatch held his stomach in laughter, and would have started rolling around on the floor in hysteria if not for the fact that the floor was filthy and probably infested with a family of cockroaches. Ace snarled at the bread-haired man, and jumped out of bed.  
"You think it's funny?!" He half slurred, pointing a finger at the still-hysterical Thatch. "I'll kill you!" He yelled as he prepared himself to pounce. Thatch, sensing the attack, figured he'd done his job, and raced out the door. Ace snarled and raced after him. The two's footsteps pounded through the hallways, and eventually reached the stairway to the main deck. Thatch raced up the stairs, and the rest of the crew prepared for the signal. When Ace finally reached the main deck, he looked around him to see his new Nakama holding cherry pies in each hand, ready to throw. Even Whitebeard himself was armed and ready to attack. Ace looked around him, stunned. The only thing he remembered was Whitebeard mock-saluting him before the insanity began.  
"Sorry bout' this, brat," the great man said as he whipped his hand into a thumbs up. As their father gave them the signal, all hell broke loose on the Moby Dick.

Tens upon hundreds of pastries hit Ace all at once, some incinerated by his flame of rage, but most hitting various, un-ignited parts of his body. He was being bombarded, and he couldn't do anything about it. As sticky pie remnants hit the deck, Ace couldn't help it feel sorry for the poor fellow who was going to have to clean it all up. He scraped a bit off the deck to throw back at his attackers, but it did little good, as Whitebeard just deflected it back at him. He couldn't set himself completely on fire because he risked sending the ship up in flames, so all he could do was stand getting hit, and pray that his crew would suddenly be struck with a curse of terrible aim.

* * *

Hours after he'd cleaned himself off, he was summoned to Whitebeard's main office. He swung open the door, and strode in.

"Yes?" he asked, leaning on the chair in front of Whitebeard's desk.

"Watch your manners, boy," Whitebeard snapped, reaching over and giving Ace a conk on the head. "Sit down, fool." Ace obliged, and pulled put the chair to sit down. He couldn't help but wonder what this was all about.

"Now look here, son," Whitebeard started, pointing his finger at Ace, "why didn't you tell us it was your birthday?" The still slightly hungover Ace frowned, and tilted his head. It was his birthday? Oh yeah! New Year's Eve.

"Right, right," he muttered to himself, holding his head up with one hand.

"We had to find out from the Marines!" Whitebeard exclaimed, "Marco had to destroy a poor old captain's base for that little gem of information." Ace looked at him, his eyes drooping.

"You didn't have to go through all that trouble, Newgate," he drawled, slumping forward in his seat.

"I told you to call me 'Old Man' you lazy ass," Whitebeard retorted, "and as for trouble, it would have been way less if you'd just told us!"

"Would you _not_ have thrown pies at me?"

"We'd have prepared even more. Ship tradition, first birthdays are pie days."

"Second birthdays?"

"You'll have to wait and see," Whitebeard said with a wink. "But why didn't you tell us?"

"It wasn't important," Ace said his eyes now drifting.

"Of course it's important, idiot!" Whitebeard boomed, "Now, I don't know how you used to run things on your old ship, but here, we're all family. We stand by each other, and celebrate accomplishments together."

"What's so great about living another year? Just more time for people to realize I'm not needed in this world." Ace hesitated a bit, sharing his biggest insecurity with his new captain was daunting, and he was afraid how he'd react.

"Your crew needs you," Whitebeard said, his eyes sad and his heart large for this son of his who'd never known parental love. "Your father needs you."

"Roger is a despicable, impulsive, dead fool" Ace spat, his eyes cold.

"Roger is not your father, I am," Whitebeard said, touching the desk with one finger. "You are my son. You are all my sons and daughters. We're family, Ace. You'll accept that with time, but right now, you need to know we all support you."

Ace's mouth trembled, and he looked down. Whitebear saw tears fall from his face onto his hands, but he decided not to say anything about it.

"Thank you..." whispered Ace, his words strained and quiet. Whitebeard placed a hand on the boy's head, and they sat there, taking comfort in just each other's presence.

* * *

A.N: As requested by frappyrouge123, a follow up to yesterday's post. I think if I'm asked to do follow ups, I will, because I enjoy placing characters in different situations, but I can only write if I have time. Reviews, Subscriptions, and Favourites are much appreciated. Thank you for you time, and see you tomorrow for Iceburg and Aisa!


	3. Jan 3- Iceburg and Aisa

The Natives didn't really celebrate birthdays. It required too many resources, and most were things they didn't have. If they did have them, they wouldn't be used for such _trivial_ and _indulgent_ affairs. Aisa sighed. Even Laki agreed that Wiper was too strict on these sorts of things. Really, you'd think their leader might allow a few exceptions now and then.

"If one person has it, the others must have it too," Aisa remembered the chief saying, "equality is the basis of our nation. We are one and the same."

Sensible as it may have been, Aisa couldn't help but feel that, in the midst of a revoloution, the Natives could really use something to rally their spirits. Aside from that, she was also indulging her own selfish desire to feel special for once, instead of being brushed aside like she always was…

* * *

Iceburg awoke to Tyrannosaurus's squeaking. As he scratched the little mouse behind it's ear, he began to smile. It was the first smile he'd had on this day in a long time. Over worrying for Flam, Tom's Workers, and Water 7 in general, he'd almost never gotten a day of rest. But today, today was a day for relaxation. Franky, as Flam now preferred to be called, was off adenturing with the Straw Hat. Tom's Workers had been purged of any spies, and Water 7 was thriving. All was right with his world. He got dressed, placed the still-squealing mouse into his breast pocket, and made his way towards the dining room. A grand wooden table graced the middle of the room, and a large window in the room overlooked the work areas, allowing him to keep an eye on his employees. Even if it was his day off, the company still needed to be managed.

'I suppose I'm never _really_ allowed to relax' he thought, as he walked towards his chair. He sat down at the grand table, and his assistant placed an intricately decorated puff pastry in front of him. It looked delectable. He was about to dig in when he heard a large **BANG** come from outside. He dropped his fork, and ran towards the window. He there saw that one of the cranes had dropped a large bundle of wood in the wrong area. He pulled out his baby Den Den Mushi, and dialed Paulie.

"What's up, Boss?" Paulie asked nervously.

"What's going on out there?" Iceburg asked in return.

"Nothing!" Paulie shouted, eager to allow their boss at least _one_ day of rest. "We're all good out here! Yup! All good!" he chuckled, still nervously.

Iceburg frowned, and observed Tilestone trying to gather some of the fallen beams, only to trip and fling them all over the place once more.

"Are you sure?" Iceburg questioned once more.

"Positive," Paulie responded. Iceburg sighed and hung up, putting the snail back into his pocket. He watched them struggle a bit more, and finally just couldn't take it. He proceeded to the exit, and threw on his hardhat. Relaxation could wait. He grinned as he opened the door and headed outside.

* * *

A.N: Hi! Hope Aisa's bit wasn't too short. She was a bit tricky to write, because the arc was so long ago, I had to refer to the wiki quite a bit. Reviews, Subscriptions and Favourites are much appreciated. I'll see you on January 8th for Emporio Ivankov!


	4. Jan 8- Emporio Ivankov

Ivankov sighed as he got out of bed. Another year had gone by without much progress. Dragon had been gone for nearly a year now to god-knows-where, and he had put Ivankov in charge of the revoloution. It was pretty upseting. The mircale-worker's birthday, and noone probably even remembered. He trodded to his mirror, and with another, even more dramatic sigh, he transformed himself into a woman. Usually this would have made her a bit more peppy and cheerful, but as she gazed over her (ridiculously voluptuous) curves, she felt nothing but distaste. With no energy or motivation to switch back, she got dressed, and walked out into the office. She sat in the chair at Dragon's desk, not caring for it's hard and sturdy wood that came with such _heavy_ expectations of leadership. She rested her elbow on the arm of the chair, and held her cheek in her hand. Last year had been so much more exciting! They'd gone to Dragon's hometown, helped several refugees escape from a fire, and even picked up a promising new member! But this year…This year had been simply **BORING**. Though she knew she shouldn't, she wished _someone_ would cause _some_ trouble, just to stir things up. Suddenly, Inazuma burst into the room carrying a large covered plate and a newspaper.

"Ma'am!" he saluted, placing the newspaper on the plate to raise his hand to his forehead. "We have news of a new Yonko!"

Ivankov rose suddenly, shocked. There hadn't been a new Yonko since Roger was executed. Inazuma placed the plate on the table, and handed Ivankov the newspaper. He uncovered the plate, and a small fork and chocolate cake appeared. Ivankov's favorite. He gave the Okama Queen a small smile before continuing.

"They call him Akagami no Shanks," he said, "apparently he used to be a cabin boy on the Oro Jackson."

Ivankov stabbed the cake with a grin. Maybe this _Akagami-boy_ would stir things up sooner than she thought.

* * *

This one was really fun to write; Ivankov is one of my favourite characters. Reviews, Subscriptions, and Favourites are much appreciated. Thank you for your time and see you on Jan 10th for Eustass Kidd and Otohime!


	5. Jan 10- Eustass and Otohime

10,000,000 Berry. That was all that separated him from that idiot Straw Hat. It wasn't enough. Not nearly enough. He _needed_ to be the best. The title of Pirate King would only belong to the best. 10,000,000 was easy to catch up to. Straw Hat could have him beat any day. He snarled as he threw a dart at the smiling boy's WANTED poster. At that very moment, he heard a knock at the door.

"Come in," he growled, already certain he knew who it was.

"Kid," Killer began as he entered, "the people are throwing a party in your honor."

Eustass smiled cruelly.

"They seem to know how to respect their new emperor," he sneered.

They had conquered the Beeougul people just the day before. While the rest of the world seemed to think him cruel, Eustass knew that _his_ way was the _best_ way. Fear was stronger than Respect. Much stronger. He rose from his seat, and walked out the door, spreading his arms wide. He admired the scene before him. A large feast had been prepared, and a table for Kid's crew was being set up. He descended the tree house's steps, and took his place at the head of the table. The seat of power. The seat that governed this village, and ensured him a territory once he became a Yonko. From there, all that was left was to conquer the Raftel, and the Grand Line would be his! He couldn't understand why those other idiots that stood at the top refused to take any action.

While Kid mused on the several reasons, he was served a large plate of meats and cheese, the island's specialty. As he bit into a particularly juicy piece of beef, Eustass contemplated the Yonko's actions up until now. Red-Hair was hardly taking action, and seemed completely content with his current standing. Teach was anxious for power, though noone knew why. The same went for Kaido. Big Mam was just a gluttonous hag who was exploiting the islands she'd claimed for candy. Kid only had to usurp one of them, and then he would be golden. He was impatient, but he knew he had to take it one step at a time. So for the time being, he would just enjoy his birthday feast, and anticipate an even larger one next year, as a stronger, even more powerful person.

* * *

Otohime woke up to a breakfast in bed, prepared by her lovely sons.

"You work too hard, Mother," they chorused, chiding her. "Let us take care of _you _for once!"

Otohime gave them a small smile as she took a sip of the starfruit juice they'd brought her. Her campaigning was going exceptionally well, and was well on the way to success. She didn't want to stop now, but she knew her sons wouold never let her work today. So she'd decided the night before she would enjoy this day, and get back to her campaign as soon as possible. She finished her breakfast, and quickly got dressed.

She wandered around the palace for a while, and met with some of her chambermaids. It was nice to talk with other women, but they didn't treat her as their equal. She'd offered to help them with their work, but they adamantly refused, saying it was 'beneath her'. She'd been so busy with campaigning for the next World Summit that she hadn't even realized that she was lonely. Yes, she had her children and her husband, but she didn't have a trusted confidante, someone she could _really_ talk to in times of need. She supposed it couldn't be helped, and went on her way once again.

After a while of swimming around and admiring the palace, she felt that something was off. She hadn't seen many guards all day, and had only seen her sons once during breakfast. It was so quiet, that she soon became restless, and frantically returned to her room to find a novel to read.

She returned to her room, and found a package wrapped with brown paper and tied with a string. She smiled, knowing that the simplistic gift came from her husband, who knew best of her simplistic tastes. It made her feel warm inside that, even though her husband was busy, he still found time to care. Inside the package were assorted books and novels, all written by explorers in the overworld. She wrapped a robe around her, and sipped on a hot mug of tea as she read about fierce dragons and beautiful princesses. She'd just about reached the ending, and had reached an intense part when she heard a knock at the door. She sighed, and marked her place in the book before bobbing over to the door.

"Yes?" she asked, opening the door just the slightest.

"Happy birthday, Mama!" chorused her sons, presenting her with a large box filled with paper. She opened the door wider, and beckoned them in. Fukaboshi handed her the box, and she set it down on her bed. Her sons sat at her feet expectantly, urging her to read the paper. She picked a slip out of the box, and read aloud.

"Midori Usui. Konako Tesuta. Yuki Kataosume," she said, beginning to recognize what the boys had done.

"They're signatures!" exclaimed Manboshi, delighted at the smile that was growing on his beloved mother's face. "For your petition! And I know what you're thinking. Don't worry, the guards accompanied us to make sure we were safe. Anyways, we know how much it means to you, so we went out today and campaigned for you"

"You sure did!" Otohime declared, digging her hands into the wonderful box, filled with the love and hope of her people.

"Shirahoshi said she wanted to come, but she knew she couldn't," said Ryuboshi, "so she stayed behind and wished us luck."

Otohime smiled, thinking of her youngest cheering on her older brothers. They'd worked so hard for her, and they'd done it reaping no reward. Selfless and kind, they would truly rule the kingdom well one day.

"You've done me all proud," she said, embracing her children. "I'll be back to it tomorrow, though."

"Can we help?" Fukaboshi asked timidly. Otohime's smile couldn't have grown wider as she exclaimed, "Of course you can!" and kissed them all fervently on their cheeks. What great children she had! What great leaders they would turn out to be one day!

* * *

I hope I portrayed Eustass fairly. He's an awesome character to work with. In contrast, Otohime's part had lots of fluff. Tons of fluff. Anyways, Reviews, Subscriptions, and Favourites are much appreciated. See you next time on January 17th for Capone Bege!


	6. Jan 17- Capone Bege

Bege felt old. He knew he was only _just_ turning 40 today, but he could almost predict that his bones would start creaking when the clock hit midnight. He stuck one of his cigars in his mouth, and strode onto the deck. At least age came with respect. As he stepped out of the doorway, immediately his entourage gathered around him. Not exactly blocking his path, but just crowding his space. He'd instilled a deep sense of respect for himself in these buffoon's brains, and he wouldn't let 'em forget it. If they got too close, he'd lunch 'em. He straightened his tie, and proceeded. His crew followed. He cracked his knuckles. His crew cracked theirs. He adjusted his solid gold rings. Those of his crew who _had _ rings did the same, and those who didn't just played with their fingers.

"What the hell do you think you're doin'?" he snarled, whipping his head back to look at his foolish men. One stepped forward sheepishly.

"We're just tryin' to be like you, Father," he said, twisting his rings.

"Gimme 'dem rings," Bege snapped, thrusting his hand towards the newbie. The man took off his rings and dropped them in Bege's palm. Bege examined them, looking to see if they had any value. Picking a few of them out of his palm, he flung the rest over board.

"There can only be one of me, ya hear?" he shouted. "Respect does not mean mimicry you fools!"

The crew nodded their heads, and shuffled off. Bege sighed. 'Youngsters these days…' he thought, and stuck one of the pocketed rings on his own finger.

* * *

A.N.: *sigh* I know I'm late. My mother shares her birthday with Bege, and you know how they are. I couldn't get on my computer all day. Anyways, here's the extremely short drabble. Sorry, I just don't feel like we have enough information about Bege to really make a one-shot. But he's an awesome character, and I hope Odacchi uses him soon! Reviews, Favourites, and Subscriptions are much appreciated. See you on January 27th for Lola!


	7. Jan 27- Lola

Honestly, you'd think she was poison or something! Was she really that unlikeable? I mean, was she _that_ unattractive? It had been 203 proposals, and all of them rejected. By now, she was getting pretty desperate.

"You there!" she shouted to a random stranger, "It's my birthday!"

The man looked at her with a dull expression on his face.

"Happy birthday then," he said, and continued walking to work. Lola ran up to him again, and started walking beside him.

"You know what would be the best present ever?" she asked, hoping he would agree. "If you would marry me," she finished, jumping in front of him, and bending down onto one knee. The man thrusted his left hand in front of her to show off a silver wedding band.

"Sorry," he stated, and continued on to work. Lola sighed and thought to herself 'Maybe tomorrow…' as she walked back to the ship.

* * *

A.N: Short and sweet, really just a drabble. So that's the last of our January birthdays! Reviews, Favorites, and Follows are much appreciated. See you on Feb. 1 for our new month's list, and I assure you, it's a long one!


	8. Feb 1- Feb List and Broggy

Back and forth, year after year they fought. Losing track of days, time was but a thing of the past. Months had no meaning, days were never known. They knew no more how old he was. Nor could they say the exact dawn that celebrated his coming in to this world. But when the frost melted, and the days grew longer, they somehow knew Broggy's day of birth was near. However, it would change nothing. Not the force with which Dorry slammed his sword down onto Broggy's shield. Not the strength Broggy demonstrated in fending off Dorry's attacks. No, they never faltered. And still year after year, month after month, nothing changed.

* * *

Hey all! Welcome to the second month of the year, February. Yes! Welcome to the month of love, and the month of many, many birthdays!(Seriously, I think Oda has an obsession with Feb)Today, for instance, we celebrated the giant Broggy's birthday! As well as on Feb 6, we celebrate our first Straw Hat birthday with Robin! Here's this month's birthday list:

Feb 1- Broggy

Feb 2- Vivi and Killer

Feb 3- Brownbeard

Feb 4- Fukaboshi/ Elder Nyon

Feb 6- Nico Olvia and Robin

Feb 9- Bartholomew Kuma and Shanks

Feb 15- Big Mam

Feb 20- Kumadori

Feb 23- Makino

So that's the (extremely long) list. There'll be a birthday pretty much every 3 days, at the most 5. I implore you, please, tell everyone in the fandom about this fic.! Birthdays are meant to be celebrated, and this fic. is the one that'll do it!

As always, Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are all welcomed and appreciated! I hope to see you tomorrow for Vivi and Killer!


	9. Feb 2- Vivi and Killer

'Kind-hearted and warm' her people called her. 'A selfless girl fit to be queen one day'. But at this moment, Vivi felt so selfish she could have bursted. She stared out the window and sighed. She wanted her friends to come back. She wanted to spend more time with them. She wanted to have more adventures. But she knew, as much as she wanted, it would never happen. The Straw Hats were off galivanting in the New World, and all the news she ever heard from them was public. The Straw Hats claiming Fishman Island. The Straw Hats wreaking havoc in Dressrosa. The Straw Hats challenging one of the Yonko. She loved hearing about them, but she so desperately wanted to know the smaller, more intimate details. The details that were never printed. The details that made her Nakama unlike any other crew traveling the Grand Line. She longed to laugh at Usopp's jokes, and discuss beauty products with Nami. She yearned for for Sanji's cooking, which topped that of any chef in the palace. She craved a quiet and peaceful moment with Zoro, and she lusted for the days where she knew nothing but silence.

Now, the palace was bustling with activity, and Vivi hardly had a moment to herself. It'd been almost a week that she'd seen Father, and his officials were always rushing around too. She had plenty on her plate as well. Not that she minded too much. She'd known as soon as she was born that the voice of a nation was loud but hard to hear. It was Vivi's job to decipher that voice, and project it into one, clear tone. Which was pretty difficult, considering the people of Alabasta were rather strongly opinionated. All day she would read letters upon letters of complaints, and it killed her that she couldn't just take her beautiful country in her hands, and heal it in an instant. Crocodile had caused so much hurt, and she just wanted it to all go away. But even Chopper couldn't instantly fix so many broken hearts, spirits, and hopes. Some would say Vivi was naïve, but she _knew_ that her country, her people, could be strong. She just had to give them hope. She needed to extend that hand for them to grab onto. For those who latched on, she would do anything in her power to pull them out of the deep pit they'd fallen into. It was difficult, knowing that many were too broken and untrusting to ever take hold of the Nerfertari's hands again. The king and his daughter held much blame upon their shoulders, a lot of which was unjustified. But Vivi didn't mind. She would much rather them blame her than each other. There'd been enough fighting in this country already.

She was snapped out of her thoughts by a knock on her door. Without even looking, she knew immediately who it was.

"Come in, Pell," she said, not moving an inch from her window.

"Hello, Princess Vivi," said Pell, "how are you today?"

Vivi made a noise somewhere between a sigh and a laugh.

"Well," she began, "In the last 4 hours, there have been 32 reports of protests against the monarch and his family, 13 incidents of compulsive and neurotic water-stealing, and more than 50 pirates-for-hire found to be hired by Neslea Kingdom to assasinate Father. And this is in the capital alone."

Vivi could almost hear the smile in Pell's voice.

"It grieves me so that you have been so caught up in your work that you've forgotten a major event that is taking place today. I'll just leave the notice here for you, and you may examine it at your leisure."

"Thank you Pell," replied Vivi, blowing a strand of hair off her face. She heard Pell shut the door behind him, and she turned around to see a white box sitting on her bed. Curious, she untied the red ribbon holding it together, and the box unfolded to reveal a little cake, deorated with icing flowers and a chocolate placard. The placard read 'Happy Birthday Vivi! Love Daddy, Igaram, Chaka, Kohza, Carue and Pell'. A separate piece of paper stood apart from all of this. She unfolded the paper, and gasped. It was a note from all the Straw Hats, wishing her Happy Birthday. Even the new ones Vivi didn't know. She recognized Luffy's messy scrawl, and Nami's neat printing. Usopp's dramatic curves, and Zoro's stick straight lines. And all of Sanji's tittles* replaced with little hearts. Why, she even remembered Ms. All Sunday's cursive writing, having worked at Baroque for so long. A large grin started to grow on Vivi's face, slowly taking over her features until she was just one, big ball of happiness. It seemed that, no matter how far the Straw Hats were, and no matter how busy her loved ones are, they would always find time for her, and she supposed that's what mattered most after all.

* * *

One had to be a little insane to join the Kid Pirates. Maniacs they were, tromping around in their big black boots and crushing whoever came in their paths. Their captain, Eustass Kid, was probably the most psychotic out of all of them. Undeniably strong, his eyes blazed with a static fire everytime he killed a new opponent, so Killer tried not to let him do it. He would always step in, scythes in hand, and push off the offenders. He would cringe each time he saw blood, knowing it was his fault and that he had caused them pain, but if it kept Eustass quiet and them alive, it was well worth it. Sure, the redhead would complain about it, saying 'Why'd you step in?' and 'I can handle this!' and Killer had no doubt he could. But if Kid led all the crew on a rampage, no one, not even Blackbeard himself, could stop them.

So Killer was the straight man. And he didn't mind. Every crew needed a straight man. Someone to pull them back from the brink of insanity. Someone to tell them that ravenous murder wasn't the way to go. Loyal to his captain, Killer would serve him to no end, and if that meant keeping him stable and anchored, he would do so without hesitation.

* * *

A.N.: I love Vivi. She is just _such_ a darling. And Killer was a bit hard; we haven't got much information on him, so I did more reflection than really situational like in Vivi's part. But I think it turned out well! Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and appreciated. I'll see you tomorrow for Brownbeard!


	10. Feb 3- Brownbeard

He mourned for the days when he'd ruled the seas, and conquered island after island. Hawkins had crushed him, well beyond defeat. He'd humiliated him, and taken both of Brownbeard's legs as his reward. Shamed beyond repair, he and his crew had sulked all the way to Punk Hazard, and found refuge there. Granted, he'd been taught an important lesson, but at a very costly price. Luckily, Law had fixed him and his crew, but they were still rehabilitating. He struggled to move his new reptilian legs; they were pushing against his might. The legs were being stubborn, and hadn't budged an inch. It was turning out to be a very bad day. He was one of the last ones to complete his rehabilitation.

"Your bulk requires a bigger moving force," he remembered the gas man saying, "unfortunately, the only force we have in our stock are crocodiles, and they're one of the more difficult ones. You'll just have to deal."

There were some days when he just felt like giving up, and just ending his life right then and there. But his crew needed him. And if there was one thing Basil Hawkins had taught him, it was that camaraderie and friendship were important, and he couldn't abandon his crew just yet.

* * *

A.N.: A bit later than usual, but it's here! Tomorrow might be a bit late too, just warning you. Brownbeard turns out to be such a good guy, and that's what I love about him. Anyways, Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated. See you tomorrow for Fukaboshi and Elder Nyon!


	11. Feb 4- Elder Nyon and Fukaboshi

Gloriosa had had enough of Hancock's foolishness.

"Nyo nyo! Absolutely nyot! You are forbinyon to see him, Snake Princess!"

"How dare you!" replied Hancock, "You're nothing but a foolish old woman! Who are you to tell me if I can see my love or not?!"

Gloriosa shook her head. Hancock had no idea how strong the love sickness _really_ was. One glimpse of Luffy, and she'd have to start her curing all over again!

"I'm telling nyou! It'll become evenyon worse! You have to stay away from Straw Hat! Nyow, why don't we do something a bit more productive?"

"And what would you suggest?" sneered the Snake Princess.

"How about nyou make a cake?"

Hancock cheered up immediately and threw on an apron.

"Mmm… Should I make it meat-flavoured? Luffy really loves meat, doesn't he?"

Gloriosa resisted the urge to slap the Empress upside her head.

"Nyot for Luffy! Haven't nyou been listenying to a word I've been saynying? Nyou can't see him right nyow!"

Hancock sulked.

"Then what's the point of making a stupid cake?"

"For me! Make a cake for me!" cried the Elder. Hancock gave Gloriosa a deathly look.

"And why would you be deserving of one of my delicious cakes?"

Gloriosa resisted the urge to laugh. Hancock's cakes were terrible; she'd only begged the Elder to teach her so she could make cake for Luffy.

"Humour me, nyokay?" said the Elder, silently snickering under her breath.

"Fine," Hancock muttered, and set about preparing for a cake.

* * *

Around 4 fires, 6 burns, and many broken eggs later, the Empress had finally managed to scrounge together a decent looking cake.

"Here," she said, tossing Gloriosa the least burnt slice. She launched a fork at the former Empress, who caught it skillfully between 2 fingers.

"If we're done here, I'll be going then," she said, striding towards the exit of the kitchen. Gloriosa looked at the cake dissapointedly, scraping the burnt pieces with her fork. As Hancock passed by the Elder, Gloriosa felt her hair being pushed back behind her ear.

"Happy birthday, Nyon-baa," whispered Hancock, hugging her surrogate mother before sashaying out of the room.

* * *

He hated that she never smiled. And he hated that he couldn't wipe those sorrowful tears off her cheeks. What he would do to see Shirahoshi laugh once more. Not only would it have been a personal pleasure to hear and see, it would keep the island safe. The longer she stayed like this…. No, he couldn't even consider that possibility. He'd tried to be brave, for his family, but inside he felt like a failure. He'd failed to protect his darling little sister, and he didn't deserve to be called her big brother. And he was scared that she would think so as well.

* * *

A.N.: I know Fukaboshi's part was short, but I became too focused on Elder Nyon. I love her so much, she is such a good character, and I feel like Oda is preparing her to be critical in something big. I kinda wanted to see Hancock in a loving daughter position too, so I had to work a little harder on that to figure it out. Plus, I did quite a bit of dialogue, so I wanted to balance it out a bit. But nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed! Reviews, Favourites, Follows, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you on Feb. 6th for Nico Olvia and Robin!


	12. Feb 6- Nico Olvia and Robin

Olvia rushed back and forth, trying to locate the distant sound. It bounced off bookshelfs and buried itself in the ancient parchments. It rang through the library, clear as a bell and distinct as a horn. Olvia began her rounds of the tables. She checked them all until finally, finally she found Robin. Her baby was curled up in her blanket, and was whining without stop. Olvia mentally slaped herself, and picked Robin up, cradling her.

"Shhh…" she whispered, cooing in Robin's ear. "I'm sorry sweet one, I found a promising lead, and carelessly dropped everything to follow it. Mother can really be absent-minded sometimes. I know it's not fair to you, but be patient with me, dearest. I'm close, I know it."

Robin stopped crying and opened her eyes wide. Olvia was delighted to see that blue gleam, one of the two things that hadn't come from her. It would make her cry sometimes, and memories of her lover would flood through her. But ultimately, Olvia loved those sky blue orbs and how they glistened.

Though she could not speak, Olvia knew her little Robin was absorbing so much. Surrounded constantly by knowledge, she often caught her little girl examining the bookshelves intently. It would be insane to assume that the infant could already read, but Olvia couldn't help but fell that this indeed was the case.

"A scholar already, aren't you?" Olvia murmured, and Robin giggled softly. Olvia smiled and set Robin back down on the table. She pulled up a chair and cracked open one of the many ancient tomes. It was an old poem, written in a forgotten language. The scholars of Ohara were the only ones who had managed to decipher it. Olvia especially held a deep connection to the scripture, for it was her who had translated it.

"When the fire red dawn meets the great blue sea, you'd think that they might clash," she read, glancing over quickly at Robin, who had curled up in her blanket.

"Yet they don't, and touch is beyond them," Olvia continued, her tongue longing for more beautiful words to escape her mouth, reveling in the rhythm.

"They weep, the sea and the sky, never knowing the other's embrace. The sky holds fleetingly the sea's water, but the drops must always return to the ocean. The sea captures the dawn's color in it's depths, but never for too long. The poor souls stare at each other all day, longing for a glimpse of happiness. They know not if there will be a day when they might finally clasp each other's hands, and rejoice in a true meeting at last."

She finished the poem, wishing desperately there was an ending. The script was said to have been a prophecy, and was recited for 101 days, a word a day until the priest fainted from fatigue. The prophecy's ending was lost, and the priest spent the rest of his life praying for Kami to bless him with an ending. Finally, driven insane, the priest had starved himself to death, claiming the prophecy shall affect no one, and is not complete, though really it had just not been completely prophecized.

Through a strange turn of events, Olvia marveled at how something was so nonchalantly cast aside when now, was the key to uncovering a great mystery. 'History may repeat itself,' she thought, 'but Man's actions can never be replicated.'

Robin had seemingly drifted off during all of this, and her eyes were glazed. But the child's brow was furrowed as intently as her mother's. It truly was foolish to say that a mere babe could comprehend the deeper meaning behind the text, but Olvia was positive that that certain scripture had struck a chord with the infant. She was sure of it, her child was special, but only time would eventually tell all. That was something Olvia only knew too well.

* * *

A.N.: And that's our first Straw Hat birthday! I love Robin, and I love her past. I wish we knew more about her, but all the better for me because I get to fill in the blanks for myself :-) Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated. See you on Feb 9th for Bartholomew Kuma and Red Haired Shanks!


	13. Feb 9- Bartholomew Kuma

Kuma hated being spoiled. But Ivankov had insisted.

"Such a hard worker deserves a great reward, right Kuma-boy?"

So that's why he found himself as Shabaody Amusement Park on of his off day.

"Ivankov," Kuma muttered, "this is too risky. What if we get seen?"

Ivankov looked at him and grinned.

"Well that's why I brought these!" he exclaimed, whipping out a set of fakes noses and glasses. Kuma stared at the glasses, and Pawed them out of Ivankov's hand. Instantly, they dissapeared.

"If you didn't like them, you could have just told me…" muttered Ivankov, "Poor Sa-boy was made an errand boy to go get these. You must apologize to him when we get back. Anyways, I brought these as backup!" Ivankov whipped out 2 birthday hats, each saying 'Happy Birthday Bartholomew Kuma!'. Kuma Pawed those away as well.

"Now that," said Ivankov, "is unforgivable. I had those specially made.

"Please, Emporio," said Kuma, "if you insist on doing this, make it quick. Remember, 1 ride and 1 ride only. So choose wisely."

So they began to look around the park. They walked for hours, but nothing seemed to be _just right_. Their visit was turning out to be exactly what Kuma _didn't_ want. Long, and time-consuming. The okama queen just couldn't make up his mind. Finally, Ivankov stopped in front of a colossal structure, and grinned at Kuma.

"This is the one, Kuma-boy!" he exclaimed. "Let's go for it, shall we?"

The two close-to-giants were crammed into a tiny little cart at the very front, and forced into barely-closing seatbelts. Kuma felt even larger just by looking at the tiny children in carts of their own. Suddenly, the ride began to jerk forwards. Kuma held on tightly, NOT out of fear, but at the fact that he didn't want to create commotion if he were *gulp* flung out of his seat. He tried to convince himself this was the reason, and he wasn't actually wasn't scared, but he didn't dare look down, and he closed his eyes halfway up the slope. Meanwhile, Ivankov was getting pumped with adrenaline, and was eager for the ride to reach the top. The carts finally began slowing down as they reached the grand pinacle of the roller coaster. Kuma forced himself to open his eyes, and saw that the cart was just barely tilting over the edge of the peak. Suddenly, the carts were yanked forward by gravity, and they began speeding towards the ground. Kuma felt Ivankov pulling at his wrists, and out of nowhere, both of his arms were flung up into the air. He had never felt so terrified yet excited in his life. He didn't dare make a sound as the ride ran through its turns and loops, its ins and outs, but internally, he was screaming. Of course, Ivankov didn't hold back, and was screaming enough for the both of them. It was times like these when Kuma really didn't mind having such a rambunctious companion. Ivankov's energy was infectious, and Kuma was getting a full blast of it.

The ride finally came to a screeching halt, and the two not-quite-giants got off. Kuma could hear a few kids grumbling about the 'crummy view', and he felt a bit bad, but he'd determined he wouldn't be going again anyways, so that wouldn't be a problem. He'd just walked out the exit when he felt a tug on his coat. Attached to the bottom of his coat was a small hand, connected to a small boy.

"Hey mister," the boy whined, "you know I've been on that roller coaster a gajillion times, and it never went that fast? I think you did something to it, so can you do it again?"

Kuma remained silent throughout this exchange, but gave a glance at Ivankov. They both knew what had happened; their weights had greatly increased the speed of the ride. Ivankov gave a pointed look at Kuma. 'It's your decision' he seemed to say, tilting his head questioningly. Nearly imperceptibly, Kuma gave a small nod, and the boy jumped up in glee. 'I suppose one more ride couldn't hurt' he thought, as the boy dragged him back into the line.

* * *

A.N.: Yay! Ok, so I'm really proud with how my Kuma one-shot turned out. I can just imagine Ivankov screaming his head off, and Kuma remaining stoic the whole time. In any case, Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! I'll see you on Feb 15th for Big Mam!


	14. Feb 15- Big Mam AKA Charlotte Linlin

Really, if nothing else, the Yonko loved her sweets. Whitebeard could keep his rambunctious family; Kaido could keep his wild beasts; Blackbeard could suck up all the power he craved; and Shanks could do whatever the hell he wanted with his Nakama. Just give Charlotte Linlin her goddamn candy, and she'd be happy. She was not, however, a simple woman when it came to these sorts of things. Mindlessly chowing down on sugary goodness was just _not_ the way to go. She'd always said, 'quality over quantity'. The best ingredients made the best bonbons. But when she became a Yonko, she finally considered the question 'Why not both?'. Quality ingredients producing quality candy in the masses seemed like an excellent idea. It was completely doable by exploi—Managing her territories properly. Hell, the islands under her protection were getting a pretty good deal out of this whole thing! Why, for the low, low price of 10 tonnes of candy per month, they'd gain her patronage and supervision! And it'd worked! It'd worked for a long, long time until that idiot Straw Hat had taken over Fishman Island, wreaking havoc amongst the factory workers. He'd not only stolen one of her favorite candy producers, but he'd mocked her and publicly challenged her!

"Well I'll have you know that Charlotte Linlin does not back down from _ANY _ challenges!" she bursted out, knocking over her glass of cider, "Not even stupid ones from brainless idiots!"

Linlin smiled, remembering a time when she was once a rookie herself. Naïve, dauntless, impressionable. And then she'd gotten her wake up call. Well, more like a wake up slap. In an instant, little Charlotte realized she was just a tiny fish in a big old ocean. Linlin decided that she was going to be that slap in the face to Straw Hat. The brat needed a reality check, and boy was she was going to give it to him!

* * *

A.N.: I kinda like toying with Big Mam's personality design, since Oda's still shrouding her in mystery. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you on Feb 20th for Kumadori!


	15. Feb 20- Kumadori

"Yoyoyoyoi!" shouted Kumadori, holding a leg up into the sky. He balanced himself on his other leg, holding his arm outsretched to his lifted toes. "Yoyoyoi!" he shouted, slowly pressuring energy to the tips of hair.

"YOYOI!" he bursted, forcing the tendrils of pink to stretch out each way and latch on to the poles that surrounded him. As he felt the grip of his tresses strengthening, he slowly lifted his weight off his leg. As he rised into the air, he closed his right eye shut. But as hard as he was focusing, his energy was failing him, and he just couldn't keep it up. He tumbled to the ground, and braced himself for the lash that was to follow. As expected, the whip cracked and he felt a sharp pain shoot up his leg.

He winced, but he didn't dare scream.

"What the hell was that?!" yelled his intstructor, punching him in the head. Kumadori held back his tears, knowing that the retribution would be worse than this verbal pain.

"3 months!" screamed his instructor, "3 months and what have you learned!? NOTHING I say, NOTHING! In that time alone, Lucci's already a full-blown agent"

Whipping a knife out of nowhere, his instructor handed it him.

"Now, Tekkai practice. GO!"

Kumadori held the knife in front of his stomach,

"I have gravely dishonored my families' name," he began, "now, to receive forgiveness from my comrades, I shall join my beloved mother in the after-"

"SPARE ME THE THEATRICS!" yelled his instructor.

With a pout, he tensed his muscles, and stabbed himself. The knife bounced off his torso, but he held his breath, biting his lip from the minor pain. His instructor made a few notes and then walked towards the door.

"You are dismissed for today," said his instructor at the doorway, "You are of no use to CP9 yet, and you have not improved in months. I hope tomorrow will be different."

Kumadori sighed and crossed his legs. He pondered on the meaning of justice. Isn't that what all this work was for? Justice? He believed in the word, but it had so many different meanings that varied from person to person so he didn't know what it was he believed in. And did that really matter? Was it such a big deal?

* * *

A.N.: Some angsty young CP9 training. Kumadori was a weird character to work with. I feel like he'd be one of the inner good guys. But then CP9 just warped him around. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated. See you on Feb. 20th for Makino!


	16. Feb 23- Makino

They were growing up much too quickly for Makino's liking. Ace was already preparing to set off to sea, and Luffy would be doing the same in 2 years. Makino would be stuck in Foosha for the rest of her life, dreaming about adventures in the big blue. Shanks had been terrible for her imagination. Tales of giant goldfish and islands in the sky did nothing to quench her thirst for exploration. She implored Ace to report back to her whenever he could, having lost Shanks' monthly greetings years ago. The bastard stopped mailing her letters as soon as he entered the Grand Line. The only news she'd heard from him had come only a few months ago, when he'd announced his declining the offer of Shichibukai. Despite him being a pirate, the whole town had cheered for him. The World Government and the Navy were a nasty business to get involved with; the Goa Kingdom knew that much too well. Shanks was a good man, and Makino knew he was just busy doing what she wished she could. But seriously, 10 years! She made a mental note to remind Ace to kick Shanks' butt after thanking him for taking care of Luffy. She began humming a small sea tune she remembered the Red-Hairs singing. _Binkusu no sake o, todoke ni yuku yo, _she recalled the lyrics going. How she remembered that from 10 years ago, she had no idea. But maybe, deep inside, she knew it would always be her waving goodbye from the docks. Handkerchief in hand, and tears flowing from her eyes. And, she supposed, she was ok with that. Her boys could go out for her, and have adventures of their own. She'd be with them in spirit, always keeping a close eye on them. What did it matter what she couldn't do? It mattered only what she could.

* * *

A.N.: I like the idea of Makino being a secret adventurer at heart : ) This was the last February birthday! Can you believe it? We're already almost 3 months in! And boy is March gonna be good! Odacchi has a HUGE obsession with March; 2 of the Strawhats in one month will be tricky! Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you next time for March's birthday list!


	17. Mar 1- Mar List

Hi everyone! And welcome to the third month of 'Happy Birthday, One Piece'! Now, if you think February was a big month, look at what we have for March:

March 2- Sanji

March 3- Mr. 3 (Galdino)

March 4- Alvida

March 6- Jagaur D. Saul

March 8- Zambai

March 9- Mihawk and Franky

March 10- Sentomaru

March 11- Spandam

March 14- Smoker

March 16- Tom

March 19- Scratchmen Apoo

March 20- Sabo and Shiki

March 24- Thatch

Big lineup, huh? 2 Straw Hat birthdays in a month is gonna be tough! But March is gonna be a great month, and I'll especially see if I can work on my other fics. during March Break! But for now, I'll see you tomorrow for Sanji!


	18. Mar 2- Sanji

When Sanji woke up, he wasn't thinking of his birthday. His first thought was breakfast, then Nami, then Robin, and then guilt about thinking about Nami before Robin, and then guilt for dawdling so much on the two that he hadn't started breakfast for either of them yet. So he got out of his bunk, and trudged to the kitchen. You'd think that the cook would be a morning person, but he was strongly against sunrises and what they stood for. Mornings were so platonic, very much unlike the passionate fantasies of the night he so often indulged himself with. His dreams had gotten so much more vivd since he'd left Kamabakka Kingdom. It was a simmering heat in him that flared at the slightest touch. It was Nami's intoxicating perfume, or Robin's glossy locks. It was a certain… _Il-ne-savait-quoi_. But it was there, and he wasn't sure how he felt about it. It had gotten past respect and flirtatiousness to pure disgusting pervertedness. And it definitely made him less of a gentleman.

As he mulled over these unpleasant ideas, he began preparing breakfast. After washing his hands, and much consideration, it was decided that it would be acceptable to spend a bit of their precious flour (such things were difficult to obtain out on the ocean) on some savoury crepes. Eggs were cracked with care into a large bowl, and shells were sent to the compost bin. A frying pan was set on the stove to be heated. A dash of salt was whisked into the mixture, and milk was poured in as well. A cup of flour, melted sugar and butter, and the batter was complete. The mix was divided and poured into the frying pan, one by one. Shortly after, dozens of crisp, thin crepes were steaming on a large plate, waiting to be garnished. Sanji set out the whipped cream, syrup, chocolate sauce, and various other condiments. Then, he chopped up some fresh strawberries and mikans from the Sanji rang the breakfast bell.

"It's ready!" he shouted, "Come and get it!"

Immediately, Luffy bounded into the kitchen, reaching over and grabbing a crepe, stuffing it in his mouth. Sanji winced, noticing his captain's lack of manners and finesse.

"Sanji!" yelled Luffy, "These are good! They're kinda plain, but they're REALLY good!"

"I know they're damn-good! I bloody well cooked them! Now save the rest for you crewmates, will you!" yelled back Sanji.

Robin and Nami sashayed into the kitchen, making small talk as they sat down. Instantly, Sanji was at their service, putting on a large smile and scurrying over to wait on them.

"Bonjour, Nami-swan!" he exclaimed, setting down in front of her a glass a freshly-squeezed mikan-juice.

"Bonjour, Robin-chwan!" he cried, setting down in front of her a steaming mug of coffee.

"Good morning Sanji-kun!" said Nami, as Robin smiled not-so-discreetly.

"How are you lovely ladies doing today?" he asked, dotingly.

"We're just fine," replied Robin, dropping a lump of sugar in her cup, "Thank you for asking, Cook-san."

"No problem at all!" he exclaimed.

"Say," began Robin, "I need a bit of help with something, would you mind assisting me after breakfast?"

"Of course not!" declared Sanji, delighted to be of any help to his female Nakama. Robin gave him a small smile.

"Thank you sincerely," she said, emitting a small giggle.

* * *

Slowly but surely, the rest of the crew began filing into the dining room, chatting and laughing as they took their seats. Soon enough, the plates began looking bleak, and Sanji set to preparing some more food. Finally, when the flour supply had been thoroughly exhausted, breakfast was finished. Everyone (except Zoro, who refused to admit it) agreed it had been a spectacular meal. And it was those small things, those little moments of happiness, which reminded Sanji why he loved to cook. For people. For their enjoyment. For their good health.

* * *

He quickly cleaned up the kitchen, and set out to find Robin. He found her at her garden, watering the plants they'd both grown to love. Sanji for their nutrition, and Robin for their beauty. Originally, Robin had only been growing flowers, but after a convincing talk with Sanji, she'd lent some of the space to several vegetable plants and herbs.

"Hello Robin-chwan!" said Sanji, walking, nearly prancing, to where she stood.

"Hello Cook-san," said Robin, pausing from her chore to look up at him.

"You mentioned earlier a certain task you required help with…" said Sanji, trailing off.

"Ah yes!" said Robin, setting down her watering can and picking up a pair of gardening gloves.

"I was wondering if perhaps you could assist me in pulling the weeds in the garden."

Immediately, Sanji felt something was off. Robin had the capability to do the task in less than a minute, given her Devil Fruit and all. And she wasn't the type to ask for help like this. But Sanji pushed away these thoughts and accepted the gloves she'd given him.

* * *

Several hours later, the task had been painfully completed, and Sanji stood up straight for the first time in what seamt like ages. His back was aching, and though he had used gloves, his fingernails were caked in mud and dirt. He now understood why Robin enjoyed gardening as a simple past time pleasure. The work was strenuous, even for someone with as muh stamina as him. He streched his legs, and began walking towards the washroom.

A hot shower later, he walked onto deck and realised something was wrong. There was no sound, save for the waves crashing against the boat. He tried not to panic, but he started rushing around, looking for his crew.

"Hey!" he yelled, "Come on out you bastards! This isn't funny!"

He set to opening door after door, and finally yanked the kitchen door open.

"SURPRISE!" screamed the crew, jumping out of their hiding place. Sanji screamed, and jumped up, banging his head on the doorframe.

"Sanji!" yelped Chopper, rushing over to his side.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," he graoned, holding his head. He got up and sat at the bar, where Nami set down a poorly-decorated and half-eaten chocolate cake in front of him. It read 'H…yB..th...y,.anji!' in blue icing.

Nami sighed.

"We're really sorry, Sanji," she said, giving a pointed glare at Luffy, "but you know how this rubber captain acts around food."

"It's not a problem at all, Nami-swan!" said Sanji, beaming happily at the destroyed dessert. He of all people knew how terrible Luffy was at restraining himself. And besides, it was the thought that counted, right? Luffy wiped his face, and licked his fingers.

"Nami," he whined, "can we just light the candles already? I want to EAT!"

Nami punched him.

"You've had more than enough of your fill!" she yelled, "Let Sanji have some, will you!?"

"I hope you enjoy the cake I've made," said Zoro, a queer grin plastered on his face.

"Err…" muttered Sanji, "It's ok if Luffy wants more…"

"Oh come now, shitty-cook," said Zoro, cutting a slice onto a plate, and stabbing of a chunk with a fork.

"You know you want some…" he said, dangling the chunk in front of Sanji's eyes.

"No, I'm ok, real—" the harsh shoving of cake into his mouth interrupted Sanji. He gagged, but managed to swallow it down.

"Luffy…" he choked, "How did you *gag* manage to eat this?"

Luffy tilted his head.

"What do you mean?" he said, "Zoro's cooking is great!"

"Yes, it is, isn't it?" said Zoro, a glint in his eye, "Maybe we don't even need swirly-brows in the crew anymore…"

"I'd like to object to that notion," said Robin.

"Oh Robin-chwan!" swooned Sanji, "You really do value me!"

"Well, yes," replied Robin, "and it would be just _terrible_ if we threw you off the boat, and you were suddenly lacerated by sharks," she finished with a smile.

"In any case, Happy Birthday, Cook-san," said Brook, placing a skeletal hand onto Sanji's shoulder.

"And just wait till you get your present from me!" he cried, bending down to whisper something into Sanji's ear. Immediately, Sanji steamed up, and his nose exploded with blood all over the cake.

"Oh. No," said Usopp robotically, a grin on his face, "Now. We. Will. Need. Another. Cake."

"What. A. SUPER. Shame." Said Franky, just as monotonously.

"I don't get it," said Chopper pouting.

"They mean to say that the marimo's cooking sucks," said Sanji, who had recovered and was wiping his nose, "here, I'll make another cake."

"But Sanji," said Chopper, "it's your birth—"

"And there's nothing I'd enjoy more on my birthday than cooking for my loved ones. Got a problem with that, Monster?"

"Nope!" yelped Chopper.

"Aww…" said Zoro, creepily, "Am I one of your _loved ones_?" he snickered.

"NO!" screamed Sanji, kicking him, starting a duel.

'Another year gone by, and still they're as childish as they were 2 years ago…' thought Nami, cleaning up the bloody cake. 'But whatever. Zoro's cooking _does_ suck anyways.'

* * *

A.N.:Wow. That was long. But yes! If you couldn't tell, Sanji is one of my favourites. And Zoro sucks at cooking. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! I'll see you tomorrow for Galdino A.K.A. Mr.3!


	19. Mar 3- Galdino AKA Mr 3

Galdino liked to think himself the smartest of all his comrades. No, not comrades, coworkers. He believed many of them to be insolent fools, strong of course, but not in intelligence. Intelligence was his area, and was the reason he was so high up in his company. It indeed bothered him greatly that that ridiculous okama Betham was higher up than him. 'Mr.3…' he thought to himself. He was comfortable in his position, but he longed to be higher in rank. Or lower in number in the traditional Baroque standings.

He walked over to his cabinet, contemplating over several ways to get a promotion. As he poured himself some Earl Gray, he began listing aloud his options.

"I could capture one of Baroque's biggest threats for Mr.0. That would be sure to please him," he said, blowing over his cup to cool it.

"Perhaps I could create a life size statue of the boss. Now wouldn't that be nice?" He mused, pulling the cup up to his mouth. He drew a sip from the cup, and brought it back down to it's plate.

"Perhaps that ignoramous Bentham could get into an '_accident'_," he said, adding finger quotes to 'accident' while chuckling rather mysteriously.

Suddenly, his door swung open and Bentham pirouetted in.

"Now who is going to have this accident, wa yo?!" he sang, leaping across the room. Galdino became so startled that he flung his tea up into the air. Quickly, he shielded himself with wax, so that the cup wouldn't come crashing down on him. When he heard nothing, he removed his shield and looked around himself. There he saw a mirror image of himself, dressed in Bentham's clothing sipping HIS tea. Galdino, enraged, stomped up to Bentham, slapped him, and snatched his cup away.

"OUT! OUT! OUT!" he screamed, pointing at the door. Bentham touched his face and turned into Crocodile.

"Well, well, well, that's no way to treat the boss, now is it wa yo?" said the fake Crocodile, shaking his hook at Galdino. Galdino had to giggle. It was bizarre to hear these flamboyant words coming from his boss.

"How terrible, Mr.3!" continued Bentham, enjoying the act, "You want to kill off your bestest friend, Mr.2? That's not very nice of you, now is it wa yo?" by this point, Galdino was in hysterics. He hated the okama, but boy was he good at impressions. Bentham began walking around the room with his hook and hand in front of him, acting as claws. He chased after Galdino, who was rolling on the floor, laughing his head off. Bentham grew closer, and closer, and right when Bentham's hook touched Galdino's chin, the door swung open and Crocodile entered.

"Mr.3, we have a few reports of the rebels stock piling weapons," said Crocodile, not yet realising the situation he was in. "Now I know it's your day off, but could you please go investi—"

Crocodile stopped, staring at his double, who was menacingly poking his hook into Galdino's gullet.

"Mr.2…" Crocodile growled, struggling to keep his temper. "What the hell do you think you're doing…"

"Nothing wa yo, Mr.0!" said Bentham, changing back to himself. "Nothing at all!" he said exiting the room and leaving Galdino to the now-fuming Crocodile.

"Happy Birthday, Mr.3…" said Crocodile, mencingly, and Galdino knew from then on, that it would _not_ in fact be a 'Happy' birthday.

* * *

A.N.:I love Galdino, but I probably love Bentham even more (^_^) In any case, this was a fun one that I prepared a long time in advance because I just couldn't wait till before February to write it. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated. Especially reviews; they fuel my writing. See you tomorrow for Alvida!


	20. Mar 4- Alvida

Monkey D. Luffy had absolutely, completely, undoubtedly humiliated Iron Mace Alvida. But somehow, she almost didn't mind. At least now she knew where she stood in terms of strength. Sure, her crew was now questioning that same strength, but she could just bash one of their brains in, and fix _that_ problem easily. No, what really mattered now was her _personal_ strength. And she needed to improve quickly. She'd since joined an alliance with the Buggy Pirate, and was contemplating her choices.

She was lounging around on the deck when one of Buggy's crew came up to her.

"E-e-errrr.." he stuttered, cowering at Alvida's massive form.

"Yes?" said Alvida, raising an eyebrow.

"Captain Buggy t-t-told me t-t-to give you th-this," he said, pulling from his coat pocket a Devil Fruit. It resempled a bunch of grapes, but the grapes were white with purple swirls. Alvida recognized it instantly.

"This is a Devil Fruit, isn't it?" she said, eyeing the cursed grapes.

"Y-y-yes," stuttered the man, "I-It's for y-your birthday g-gift, a token of honour from Captain Buggy"

Alvida sneered. As if Buggy knew about tokens and honour. But nevertheless, she needed to power up quickly, and this would be the perfect way to do it. Other than the fact that she wouldn't be able to swim anymore (not that she'd ever learned how; for _some_ reason she just couldn't float!) a Devil Fruit was an easy way to obtain more strength.

"Alright, what do I do?" she asked the man.

"Captain Buggy said y-you only need a bite. So a s-single grape will d-do."

Alvida plucked a single white orb from its stem. She stared at it for a while, wondering how her life would change. And then she popped it into her mouth. Gagging, she nearly spat it out. It tasted terrible! But she managed to swallow it.

All of a sudden, she felt lighter. She looked at her hands, and felt that they were as smooth as glass. She tried clasping her hands together, but they just slipped off each other. She looked up to see Buggy's crewmate staring at her, dumbfounded.

"It's a miracle," he murmured, unable to look away.

"Get me a mirror!" said Alvida, attempting to pinch herself, and failing, her fingers sliding off her cheeks.

The man returned, holding a jeweled looking glass. Alvida held the mirror to her face. Her freckles had vanished.

"That's it?" she remarked, "From the way you reacted, I'd imagined something better!"

"W-What do you mean?" asked the man.

"Well, all that happened was that my freckles are gone!"

"But you're so beautiful now, and before you were…" he trailed off, sensing the dangerous waters he was swimming him.

"Not as beautiful!" he blurted, completing his mishappen sentence, and making Alvida smile.

'What a bonus,' she thought, 'Slippery powers and improved beauty! You hear horror stories about these things, but I guess I sure got lucky!'

* * *

A.N.: Ech. That was difficult. I don't really like Alvida as a character; to me she lacks depth, which it turn makes it hard to write for her. But nevertheless, I think it turned out ok. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! Seriously, I'd love to hear your guys' opinion! Anyways, I'll see you on March the 6th for Jaguar D. Saul!


	21. Mar 6- Jaguar D Saul

Saul often regretted leaving the Navy. He often wondered if he'd made a terrible choice. Today was one such day. As he leaned against the brim of the cliff, he pondered on the possibilities of his life had he not chosen to assist Nico Olvia in her escape.

"Saul?" said Robin, her legs tucked into her arms as she knelt on the edge of the cliff.

"Yes?" said Saul.

"Well, you never did tell me something."

"What would you like to know?"

"What's your birthday?" asked Robin, tilting her head.

"Why would you like to know?" he asked her.

"Well I read this book, and it said when you are friends with someone, you must celebrate their birthday. You're my friend, so I want to celebrate your birthday."

Such simple words from the deeply intellectual child, yet they touched Saul deeply. For one who had never know affection or love, Robin sure wanted to distribute it!

"Well, it would have to be March 6th," he said.

Robin's eyes widened.

"But that's today!" she exclaimed.

Saul scratched his head. It had been long since he'd lost count of the days. He looked back at Robin, who now appeared to be in distress.

"But, but," she stammered, "I didn't get time to prepare! I don't have food, I don't have decorations, I don't-"

"Who said you _had to have _food and decorations to have a good time?" interupted Saul.

"The book!" exclaimed Robin, "I need to go by the book!"

Saul sighed.

"Robin, you can't always go by the book. Life will not always go by the book."

"But-"

"No. What's important is that you thought about it. And the thought is what counts."

"What about a gift?" said Robin, "I can still get you a gift!"

"You don't have to…" said Saul, but Robin had already run off.

* * *

An hour later, Robin returned, holding a single flower.

"Here," she said, offering Saul the flower. He smiled and tucked the small peony in a hole on the brim of his hat.

"Thank you," he said; and for whatever reason, right at that moment, he knew he'd made the right choice.

* * *

A.N.: Ah. I suck at dialogue. Saul is a simplistic character, but the compassion he holds runs deep. I truly did my best to express that! Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you on March 8th for Zambai!


	22. Mar 8- Zambai

"Tamagon! Get a move on!" screamed Zambai. As the round man waddled along, Zambai brought a towel to his forehead and wiped off beads of sweat. It was difficult being the new leader of the Franky Family. Zambai didn't hold the same authority over the group as Franky did, and they tended to get rowdy from time to time. They also procrastinated much more, and it wasn't easy to get them back to work.

"Franky, Fa-Mi-Ly!" cheered Kiwi and Mozu, shaking pom-poms in the workers' faces.

"Kiwi! Mozu! Leave them alone!" yelled Zambai, taking up a piece of wood and placing it on his shoulders. Iceburg had requested several tonnes of wood to be delivered to Galley-La for a large project. And for whatever reason, he'd asked for it all to be delivered today. Which was a near impossible task, but Zambai was determined to complete it.

"If you guys really wanted to help, round up Sodom and Gomorah, would you?" said Zambai, lugging the wood towards the dock. The girls pouted, but obeyed him anyways.

The yagaras had finally been loaded, and Zambai set off to Galley-La with the last shipment of wood. It had been a long day, and he was happy to have finished the job. But when he finally arrived, the sight he saw there shocked him.

"Where's all the wood we delivered earlier?" he said, to noone in particular.

Enraged, he started looking for Iceburg. When he could find him nowhere, he left, exhausted and frustrated. This was a huge setback! How dare that bastard Iceburg take all that wood without any compensation! He urged Sodom to return to the Franky House, defeated and miserable. As the yagaras reached the Franky House, for the second time that day, Zambai couldn't believe his eyes.

The Franky House had been completely rebuilt with all the wood the Franky Family had been asked for! Even the glass in the windows had been replaced! Iceburg stood in front of it all, his arms crossed and looking smug. Zambai dismounted Sodom and ambled disbelievingly to the Galley-La founder.

"You… You," he said, at a loss for words.

"I thought you deserved something special for all your hard work in the past few months," said Iceburg. Gesturing towards the door, he moved aside to allow Zambai to twist the knob and enter the room. The house had been completely refurbished, and was decked with cabinets, machinery, and beanbags.

"Aww yeah!" yelled Zambai, diving to sit in one of the bean bags. He looked back at Iceburg.

"Well?" he asked, "You've been working hard too! Grab a chair, buddy!"

Iceburg sat down, pleased that he'd been able to make Zambai's day.

"You know what?" said Zambai, grabbing a beer from a nearby cooler.

"What?" asked Iceburg.

"This is great and all, but…"

"But what?" asked Iceburg

"You could have just told me instead of making me lug all those stinkin' pieces of wood all the way over there!"

* * *

A.N.: Late! I know! I'm sorry! But I collapsed yesterday from stress and just slept until the next day. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated. I'll see you later today for Franky and Mihawk!


	23. Mar 9- Franky, Mihawk, and Shanks

Shanks wouldn't stop shaking. He hadn't stopped shaking ever since the Whitebeard War. Last he'd seen Luffy, the Gomu boy was being trucked off in some random yellow submarine. Shanks tried to reassure himself that Luffy was alright, but it wasn't easy. He'd heard no word of the trouble-maker in the last year and a half. And considering the Devil Fruit user had been in the news consistently the entire year before the war, this was a worrying development. It was as if he'd just disappeared off the surface of the planet. The Red-Hair crew was just as worried for their captain as they were for Luffy. Shanks had managed to keep it together, but if he went insane worrying about Luffy, his Nakama would fall into disarray. Shanks knew this, and tried to joke it off. "If that rubber hammer is dead, how am I gonna get my hat back?" He would say, chuckling. His crew would stare at him, and instantly he would know that they knew him too well.

More than anything, Beckman wanted his captain to de-stress. It wasn't healthy for him to go on like this. He'd always try think of a way to calm him down, but nothing would ever work. Shanks would just keep pacing, back and forth, until he'd worn down the floorboards in his room.

They were sitting in the galley below deck when they heard the shaking and pacing begin. Thump thump thump pause. Turn. Thump thump thump pause. Turn. Roo sighed. Shanks was at it again. One of these days, he was going to fall straight through the deck. The crew began to pick at their food. The tension was so thick, you could cut it with a sword. No one liked seeing their usually confident captain in this worried and crippled state. Everyone had a different feeling about it. Some, like Roo, felt like their captain just needed a break. Others, like Yassop, felt like Shanks should man up and take this in his shivering stride. All felt terrible that they couldn't just magically summon up Luffy to restore their captain's sanity.

Beckman looked at the untouched silver platter they'd all been waiting on Shanks for. The beautiful red velvet cake that Rockstar had prepared was going to waste, and the first mate just couldn't stand it anymore. He brought his dagger to the icing and cut a piece of cake. He whipped out a gold plate, tossed the slice of cake in the air and maneuvered the plate to catch it. He did all this silently as his Nakama looked on. He could almost hear Roo questioning him with his mind, but he silenced him with a single look. He set down the plate to clean his dagger, and then sheathed his blade. He picked up the plate once more, and took meaningful steps towards the staircase His Nakama followed him.

They made their way up to the deck, and what a sight they saw there.

The infamous Dark King Rayleigh was on board, dripping wet and nonchalantly drinking from a small, gold canteen. Their captain had sat down, and was holding his head in his hands. However, his knees were trembling. Rayleigh was looking at Shanks sympathetically. The Dark King tore his mouth away from his drink, and bent down to whisper something in the Red Hair's ear. Immediately, Shanks bolted up straight, and a single tear ran down his face. Rayleigh smiled, and helped Shanks up. They embraced like brothers, and Rayleigh dove back into the ocean. Shanks turned towards his crew, smiling.

"He's alright," their captain muttered. Anyone else would have misinterpreted this as crazy talk, but the Red Hairs whooped and cheered. They gathered around Shanks, and Beckman presented their captain with the cake.

"You forgot, didn't you?" The first mate said, remaining calm, but inwardly ecstatic.

Shanks scratched the back if his head and opened his mouth graciously, allowing Benn to spoon the cake into his mouth. And for the first time since the Whitebeard War, Red Haired Shanks remained still.

* * *

Mihawk had tried many a time to convince Shanks, but the red-haired cabin boy just wouldn't budge.

"Come on, red-hair," the hawk-eyes would say, "we could rule the seas by ourselves! Just ditch Roger already!"

"Mihawk..." Shanks would begin, "You know how I feel about those sorts of things. I've already sworn loyalty to Roger, and even if I were to join, wouldn't just a crew of two be kinda weird?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know... You and your stupid need for nakamaship.."

Shanks laughed and leaned on his mop.

"It's not a need, hawk-eyes, it's a necessity. For me anyways. Now, you gotta scram before Rayleigh gets back, or he'd kill me for allowing an intruder on board."

Mihawk sighed, giving Shanks one last long glance before jumping off the side of the Oro Jackson.

He'd approached Crocodile next.

"What do you need, Mihawk?" smirked Crocodile, looking, the swordsman in the eye. Though the sandman was sat down, he bore an imposing presence that made Mihawk shiver in anticipation.

"I want to join forces with you," replied Mihawk, returning Crocodile's steady gaze.

"You want to be part of my crew?" questioned Crocodile, raising an eyebrow. Mihawk had a small sinking feeling.

"No, I want you to join mine."

Crocodile laughed.

"What crew, hawk-eyes?" he sneered, "Are you telling me you want me to just abandon my men to be part of a 2 man duo? Ridiculous. I'm sorry, Mihawk, but I am an established man. I refuse to go gallivanting back into uncertainty."

"You aren't thinking of the possibilites," said Mihawk, furious at the sandman for patronizing him.

"What possibilities?" laughed Crocodile, "Face it hawk-eyes, you're better off a rogue. If you can't stand having a crew, you might as well not be a pirate!"

That last remark stung. Fascinated with the sea, Mihawk had set out early as a child to become a pirate. But he just couldn't stand crowds and crews, and apparently that's what the occupation of a pirate entailed.

"I won't pretend I fully understand were you're coming from, but if that is what you wish, so be it," said Mihawk, turning towards the exit. His back turnt, he tipped his hat to Crocodile.

"Good day then," he said, walking out of the room, leaving Crocodile chuckling behind him.

Over time, Mihawk had come to accept that he would never be completely comfortable with other humans, and spent most of his time in solitary. Having found a place to call home, he settled in Kuraigana, leaving only to seek out new enemies. And he'd been perfectly all right until two certain pink and green-haired disasters showed up on his doorstep. His world flipped, and suddenly he was running out on errands, scribbling out shopping lists, and doing laundery every other day. Seriously, how many lengths of haramaki could one swordsman possibly need? He longed for his days of solitude, and now spent many a day alone in his room, reading his novels.

And that's exactly what he'd been doing until he heard a crash from the kitchen, and the screams of the tantrumming Perona. Though he did not want to, he dragged himself out of bed and padded downstairs.

"You idiot!" screeched Perona, who was covered in flour, "You were supposed to measure it first! Not just dump it all in!"

"Well maybe I would have known what to do if a certain someone would explain things properly!" shouted Zoro, equally as coated in sugar.

"It's called common sense!" yelled Perona, "Oh wait!" she said, putting a finger to her chin, as if thinking, "YOU HAVE NONE!"

Mihawk rubbed his eyes, and walked up to the arguing pair. Grabbing them by the collars of their shirts, he dragged them to the dining table, and forced them into chairs.

"Explain," he snarled, crossing his arms.

"She's terrible at explaining stuff!"

"He can't follow simple directions!"

Mihawk sighed.

"Zoro," he said, gesturing at his sugar covered hair. "What's all this about?"

Zoro gave Perona a dying glance, to which she solemnly nodded.

"See, we were planning this surprise…" he said sheepishly, "And we kind of… Ruined it…"

Mihawk raised an eyebrow, "What surprise?"

"Well…" muttered Perona, "We were baking a cake… For your birthday…"

Mihawk's eyes widened.

"We're really sorry…" said Zoro, looking at his feet, "Please don't kick us out…"

Mihawk chuckled. The chuckle turned into a full-blown laugh. And the laugh just exploded into absolute hysteria. Zoro and Perona looked on, nervously, and he patted them both on the back. They took this as an 'ok' sign, and began laughing as well. If anyone had seen the trio, they would have thought that they were crazed. In the midst of the hysterics, Mihawk found himself thinking. About people in general, and nakamaship in particular. And, to his own surprise, he found himself thinking that maybe they weren't as bad as he thought.

* * *

Flam was bored. Like, really bored. Drifting at sea was boring. Luckily he'd found a few pieces of driftwood to drift on; otherwise he'd be dead. Those bastards he used to call 'parents' hadn't even given him a raft! If they didn't want him, they should've just been more careful not to knock his mom up! They didn't have to chuck him over the edge like some sort of beer bottle!

It'd only been a day, but Flam was already feeling thirsty. He'd caught some fish, but didn't have anything to cook them with, so he'd just let them go. He knew that if he didn't find clean water soon, he'd probably die. Or worse, he'd be eaten by Sea Kings. He was somewhat surprised they hadn't attacked him already.

'Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink' he thought. 'How macabre'. He broke off a piece of wood to act as a paddle. He began paddling, but the wood was too old, and too much riddled with holes to get him anywhere. He'd managed about 20 metres when he finally gave up.

"I'm gonna die, aren't I?" he wondered aloud. Any other 9 year old would've panicked and tantrummed, but Flam just lay on his back and watched the clouds go by, wishing he could have done more with his life. Right before he closed his eyes, he saw a mail pelican swoop over him.

"Here!" he screamed, "Over here!"

The mail pelican glided towards him, and dropped a newspaper in his lap.

'What the hell am I gonna do with this?' he wondered, looking at the headline.

"Ha!" he laughed aloud. His parents had been caught, and were being sent to Impel Down. "Serves them right!"

He checked to see the date next.

"March 9th? Hey! It's my birthday! Wow. What a sucky birthday."

Some wind blew towards Flam, and blew away a few pages. He didn't bother scrambling for them, but he got an idea. First, he broke his driftwood paddle into several pieces, and attached them together to make two large poles. Then, using some of his string, he connected the pieces of paper together to make a sail. He attached the sail to the raft, and inched backwards to view his handiwork.

'Perfect' he thought, tightening the last knot. 'Well, almost. It would be nice if I had some canons…' Licking his finger and waving it in the air, he noticed that the wind was coming, and it would be coming hard. He had to make this count.

Angling his boat, he held on to base and soon enough, the gust hit him. The boat bursted forwards, and Flam nearly slipped off. But he held tight, and soon enough, he was going at a steady pace. After 45 minutes of sailing, he began to see the edges of an island.

"Land ho!" he whooped, taking off his shirt and waving it in the air. But as he neared the island, he realised it wasn't any ordinary island. It was Water 7! The dream island his parents had sought before abandonning him! 'What a twist of luck!' he thought.

As he got closer to the harbor, he gazed over the central fountain, and the canals that spewed over it. He gaped at the towering ships, their sails majestic and colorful. He looked at the people walking around, their hair neat, their clothes tidy, and he felt a bit ashamed about himself. He knew he couldn't dock at the harbor, it would be too suspicious, so he made his way around the island until he saw it. The scrapyard. Disgusting and vile to the residents of Water 7, it was a dream come true for Flam. Endless materials to build with, a built in shelter (as soon as he'd built it), it was perfect! 'Well…it could use some canons' mused Flam, before running off to look for scrap metal.

* * *

A.N.: Huge chapter today! Three of the biggest influences on the series on one day! To be honest, I mixed up Shanks's birth month and accidentally put him with Kuma -_-'' But it turned out ok, and I just shifted stuff around. Mihawk, in my opinion, turned out really well. I always wondered why he was a pirate without a crew, so I kinda gave him a backstory. Plus, some awkward Papa Mihawk towards the end for giggles. Franky was awesome. I had no idea I had that idea in me, but it just felt right when it came out. Overall, I'm pretty proud of myself for this chapter! Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! Especially reviews! I would really like to hear from you guys! So if you have a minute, just give me a quick word. It helps a lot with writing fuel ;-) See you tomorrow for Sentomaru!


	24. Mar 10- Sentomaru

"Now be a good boy and run along with Uncle Kizaru," said Vegapunk distractedly.

"But the Pacifista are still developing," complained Sentomaru, knowing full well that whining would only aggravate the scientist further.

"Which is why we need you to go out there and test them," responded Vegapunk, slowly droppering green liquid into a test tube. "Consider it a research mission."

Sentomaru sighed. He had faith in Vegapunk. The man was a genius. He wasn't at all needed for 'testing'. The mastermind had been pushing him to join the Marine battle force for years. Though he'd been trained in martial arts, he simply had no interest or desire in fighting. To be honest, there was something rather majestic about the thought of eliminating evil to make way for the good, but Sentomaru was more passionate about the sciences. Besides, chasing pirates all over the New World sounded exhausting, and though Sentomaru was no stranger to hard work, his current position was quite comfortable, and he was intent on keeping it.

"Weeelll," drawled Kizaru, tapping his foot slowly, "if the boooy doesn't want to coooome, he doesn't haaaaave to." Sentomaru's heart leaped for joy.

"He dooooes sound like a cooooowaaaard," continued Kizaru, his eyes gleaming, "and the Marines _haaaaate_ coooowaaaards."

Sentomaru's gaze hardened.

"Who's a coward?!" he roared, charging Kizaru. The admiral poked the bodyguard in his forehead, stopping in his tracks.

"Headstrong as weeeeell," he twanged, tutting the boy. "Moooost unfit for puuublic proteeeeection."

"I'll show you public protection!" bellowed Sentomaru, marching outside to the docks and boarding the first ship he saw.

"Yes, yes, thank you," muttered Vegapunk adjusting the heat on a burner.

Kizaru shook out his finger.

"For his laaaack of taaaaact, he suuuure makes up for it with sheeeeer brute. He'll be a woooonderful addition to our fooooorces."

* * *

A.N.: So late. I am so sorry. Tomorrow will be better, I swear. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you tomorrow for Spandam!


	25. Mar 11- Spandam

Spandam was not having a good day. Though the Enies Lobby incident had occurred _eons_ ago, apparently, people were _still_ talking about about it. It came up in _every _conversation. It wasn't even his fault! Like he'd been telling everyone, those insolent CP9ers were to blame! Especially Rob Lucci! Why that man was so weak Spandam could probably push him over with a finger! What a joke! That Fukuro had no clue what he was talking about. 4000 Doriki? Yeah right! 4 Doriki sounded more accurate!

Spandam was relaxing in bed, trying to enjoy his birthday best he could. He was still in a full body cast, and the doctor had instructed him to rest well, lest he become paralyzed from the waist down. Suddenly, he received a call on his Den Den Mushi.

"Purupurupurupurupuru" rang the snail.

"George!" screamed Spandam, careful not to strain himself. "George!"

"Yes sir!" replied a young marine, running into the room and saluting the chief.

"The phone, you idiot the phone!"

"Sorry sir!" said George apologetically, rushing for the snail.

"Ka-cha" said the snail, as George picked up the reciever.

"Spandam…" growled a familiar voice. The gravelly timbres made shivers run up and down Spandam's shattered spine.

"L-L-L-Lucci?" stuttered Spandam, disbelievingly.

"You know who I am. We will find you, and we swear we will do whatever it takes to destroy you."

And with that, Spandam could decisively say that his day had been ruined.

* * *

A.N.: Not my best. I'll probably rewrite if I get that chance. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you on March 14th for Smoker!


	26. Mar 14- Smoker

"Get outta here, you dumb dog!" roared the large man, stinking of smoke and alcohol. The stray whined, sniffing at the man's boots. "I said GET!" yelled the man, giving the puppy a swift kick. The mongrel yelped and scurried out of the bar, dragging his injured leg behind him. He scampered through the streets until he found a small alleyway. Whimpering, he lay down and began nursing his wound. He was licking the bruise when a shadow fell over him. Frightened, he leaped up and began snarling, only to fall back down from the pain. He looked up to see a dirty, white-haired boy holding a baseball bat embedded with nails and a loaf of bread.

"Hey little guy," said the boy, reaching out his hand. He allowed the dog to sniff at him, and finally decide that he was no danger. Giving the boy a small lick, he layed his head back down.

"Someone sure gave you a clobbering, huh?" said the boy, inspecting the bruise. The dog whimpered in agreement.

"You hungry" asked the child, ripping off a chunk of bread and offering it to the puppy. The puppy gladly accepted, and chomped down on the doughy morsel.

"I'm sorry there isn't more," said the boy, "Food is scarce these days. Those stupid pirates just loot and pillage all they want. It's disgusting…" he trailed off.

"I'm Smoker by the way," said the boy smiling. The puppy wagged his tail in response, and gave a resounding 'Woof!'.

"You don't have a collar on you," said Smoker, "so you must be a stray. How about I give you a name? How does 'Inoue' sound?" The pup barked in approval, and licked Smoker's cheek.

"Stop that!" laughed Smoker, wiping his cheek, and sitting Inoue on his lap.

"You know, I think it's bad what those pirates did to you. Real bad. Ever since Roger's death, there've been pirates everywhere. But there are heroes everywhere too." A dreamy look settled on Smoker's face. "The marines, Inoue. They do cool things, like beat up bad guys and make awesome weapons. But they do good things too. They protect us all in the name of justice. And that's the coolest of all, don'tcha think?" Smoker scratched the Inoue behind his ears, and Inoue gave him a content sigh. "I wanna do that one day. Protect people and make sure things like this don't happen," he said, gesturing to Inoue's leg. "Now wouldn't that be great?"

* * *

A.N.: So this entire thing was kind of inspired by Oda's depiction of what Smoker looked like as a child. This would be a good one to continue, but I think I'll leave that to be requested. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you on March 16th for Tom!


	27. Mar 16- Tom

"Not now, Kokoro" grumbled Tom, hammering away at yet another nail.

"But Tom-san, said Kokoro, "both the boys are waiting for you. Surely you could take just one minute and—"

"I can't!" yelled Tom, uncharacteristically, "The next deadline is in two days, I need to have the base done by at least then! I can't rest! I must keep going!"

"Fine," said Kokoro, crossing her arms, "but you have to come in for at least one cup of water. Tom you're exhausted! If you keep pushing yourself like this you'll break!"

"Alright then," groused Tom, "but only for a minute or two."

Kokoro smiled and took Tom's hammer from him, softly pushing him towards his shack.

Tom entered the room and saw a steaming mug of tea sitting on the table. He chuckled. Kokoro must have known she could get him to rest; otherwise she wouldn't have made him anything.

"Tom-san! Tom-san!" yelled Cutty Flam, racing into the room and throwing himself onto Tom.

"Oof!" yelped Tom, "Get off, Flam!"

Flam obeyed obediently, which was odd of him. Tom gave him a pat on the head and went to sit down at the table. Iceburg was already sat down, and was sipping on coffee while reading the morning paper.

"Hello Tom-san," he addressed the shipwright. As only Tom knew, his apprentice wasn't being rude, it was just the way he talked. Many onlookers were shocked at Iceburg's clipped and matured sentences towards his master, but Tom really didn't mind.

"Hello Iceburg, anything interesting going on?"

The blue-haired boy snapped his newspapere shut.

"Not anything that would interest you, Tom-san."

Tom knew he was referring to the stories of violence and crime down on Fishman Island. He had asked his apprentice to censor out any news of Arlong or those types. Moving to Water 7 had been his gateway out of all that.

"Now, if you'll excuse me and _Franky,_" he insisted, "we have an errand to run."

"How many times do I have to tell you Bakaburg?" protested Flam, "It's _Flam_. _Cutty Flam._"

"Yeah yeah, let's just get going."

The pair raced out the door, leaving Tom sitting by himself in the kitchen. Feeling drowsy, he used his arms to cushion his head onto the table. He slowly closed his eyes, and promised himself he would just take a short nap.

When he awoke, the sky was turning indigo and the sun was setting.

"No!" he shouted, and dashed outside.

"There you are!" said Franky, waving his arms up and down.

"What in the world—"

He stopped, admiring the sight before him. The base of Puffing Tom had been completed, and Iceburg was standing by the last screw.

"We finished it, Tom! We finished it!" whooped Franky, dancing around piles of scrap metal. Iceburg wiped his brow, and nodded towards Tom. Kokoro clasped her hands together.

"Happy Birthday, Tom," she said, smiling.

Tom tried to think of what day it was. Iceburg would usually lend him the paper… Oh! He didn't do it this morning!

"Are you surprised?" asked Franky, "Huh? Huh?!"

"Very surprised," said Tom, "you guys sure completed it with a 'DON'"

"The last screw," said Iceburg, " care to do the honors?"

"But of course," said Tom, and took the screwdriver Franky was offering him. With a few flicks of Tom's wrist, a satisfying 'clink' was heard, and the base of the Puffing Tom was officially completed.

* * *

A.N.: I am sooo sorry about how late this is. Gosh, it's pretty much tomorrow. 11:29. But I kinda wanted to tweak it a bit. I started on something quite different, hated it, and came up with some fluffy goodness. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated. I'll see you on March 19th for Scratchmen Apoo!


	28. Mar 19- Scratchmen Apoo

Apoo was suspicious. Eustass 'Captain' Kidd was calling for a meeting completely out of the blue, and it bothered the long-arm. His notorious fellow Supernova wasn't the type to gather people for 'tea' as the invitation had stated. He'd examined it over and over, but there was no secret code to be found. Either Kidd was being completely genuine, or this was a trap. Either way, he had to go check it out.

A day later, he found himself sailing west, which was rather surprising. He didn't think that Eustass would still be this far behind. After all, the man had a 470 million bounty! He pondered over why this might be when all of a sudden he heard his crew shouting. Dashing to the bow of his ship, he looked out into the mist and saw the infamous flag of the Hawkins Pirates. Shifting his arms, he fashioned himself a saxophone and began playing. The music streamed out towards the other boat, and soon enough, he saw the ship drift closer. As Hawkins's ship appraoched, he saw that his attack had worked, and that Basil's crew had been hypnotized. Hawkins himself however had his arms crossed angrily, and was assuming a battle stance.

"What is the meaning of this, Apoo?" spat the magician.

"I could ask you the same question," replied the musician, "you tailing us or something?

"Is that what you believe? How egoistic of you," said Hawkins haughtishly.

"Well then what are you really doing?" said Scratchmen.

"For your information," said Hawkins, "Eustass Kidd has invited me to an..ahem… gathering."

"That's funny…He had a tea party scheduled with me today… Wait! You're going too? What do you think he wants?"

"Please, inviting two captains powerful in their own rights to a gathering? He must want an alliance."

"What would he want an alliance for?"

"I can't say. I really can't say."

* * *

A.N.: I realize now how much I detest writing for the Supernova. I love them as characters and all, but staying canon when we don't know much about them is hard. It kinda became Basil Hawkins-half-centric because I couldn't figure out a good setting. So I took something already existing and elaborated. Hope it was ok! Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you tomorrow for Sabo and Shiki!


	29. Mar 20- Sabo

Sabo could only stare at the jagged shards that littered the floor. Had he done that? A sharp pain shot through his hand and he looked down. A stream of blood was running between his fingers. He licked his hand in disbelief. The sharp metallic taste that greeted him confirmed his doubts. He'd shattered his dresser mirror. But instead of being scared, or afraid that his father would see what he'd done, he felt proud. Damn right he broke his mirror! He could break plenty of other things too!

"You bastard of a father!" he screamed, launching a vase across his room.

"You stinking hog of a mother!" he yelled, tearing his clothing to shreds.

"You terrible, selfish, uncaring, simply detestable parents!" he shrieked, throwing himself against the window, and slowly sinking down to his knees, sobbing. They'd left him alone. On the one day he got to see them both at once, the only day for the next 365, on _his birthday _they'd ditched him. Tossed him aside like a ragdoll. For what? A 'charity' ball. He scoffed. The only charity going on there was the free margaritas and hor d'oeuvres. Undoubtedly the only reason his parents were even going.

"Dumped for hor d'oeuvres and margaritas," muttered Sabo, "sounds like a great title for a book."

He needed to leave. He needed to escape. He couldn't stay with these crazy people anymore; he'd go insane himself. He ripped apart his closet, and finally found some simple clothes. Tearing apart the rest of his garb, he threw on his new attire and began looking for his goggles. He found them under his dresser, and threw them in his pack. He loaded the green bag with several more essentials, tied up his writing tools with a thin string, and took a long look at his escape route. The window.

He really didn't want to create more of a mess. After all, then he would be no better than his boorish parents. But after several minutes of fiddling around with a broken clothes hanger, he gave up and smashed the thing open. Glass rained down onto the roof, pouring onto the street. Sabo slowly climbed outside the window, being careful not to slip. In a few quick and delicate movements, he found himself teetering on the edge of the parapets, dangling above the road. Sabo closed his eyes, not wanting to regret his decision, and dropped down onto the pavement.

Sabo looked around quickly, scanning his surroundings. After a thorough check, he dashed down the street, knowing it would lead him out of town.

* * *

Sabo was in shock. He'd always heard about the infamous Gray Terminal, but he'd never imagined anything of _this_ scale. Mountains of metal and trash rose before him, shifting under his feet. He wondered how the residents here thrived. They were bandits, most likely. There was no visible food or water supply that Sabo could see. The thought of bandits sent a chill down his spine. But it was a curious chill. A chill of wonder. Bandits didn't sound real to him. Bandits sounded like the fairytales his maid would read to him before bedtime.

His aching feet urged him to take a break, and Sabo could only oblige. Pulling off his scuffed shoes, he uncovered a trove of aches and sores. Groaning, he massaged his feet, and almost wished he were back home. Almost. He reached into his pack, and pulled out a healing salve. It was a good thing he was prepared. Unscrewing the lid, he dipped into the balm and spread it over his sores. Letting out a satisfied sigh, he closed the container, and put it back into his pack. He then took out an apple, and bit into it ravenously. His mind began swarming with questions. What would happen to him now? What would he do when he ran out of supplies? Would his parents miss him at all?

Suddenly, he heard a clanging noise from his right. Whipping towards the sound, he saw a dark-haired boy in the moonlight. The boy froze, as if hoping that remaining immobile would render him invisible.

"Um…Hi?" said Sabo, raising his eyebrow. The boy's eyes widened, and he took a few steps closer. As the boy drew near, his features became more visible to Sabo. He had eyes as dark as his hair, and a scattering of freckles across the bridge of his nose and cheeks. Upon even closer inspection, Sabo noticed how sunken the boy's eyes were, and how hollow his cheeks seamt. The boy licked his lips, and Sabo realized he was staring at the apple.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, "Here!" he said, tossing the boy an apple from his pack. The boy caught it, and immediately bit into it. He tore away at the fruit, juice dripping from the sides of his mouth. When the apple had been reduced to a core, the boy tossed it aside, and looked at Sabo.

"Thank you…" he said, "You know, you're not too bad for a noble."

"What gave me away!?" protested Sabo, inspecting his costume.

"Oh please," scoffed the boy, "who the hell wears an ascot scarf, belt and top hat in the Gray Terminal?"

Sabo scratched the back of his head, smiling sheepishly.

"So you're not from around here?" asked the boy, sitting down on a broken safe.

"No. I just ran away, actually," said Sabo, puffing his chest out in pride.

"Seriously? That's pretty stupid of you."

"What? Why?" said Sabo. This was not the response he was expecting.

"You had everything. Food, money, mansions, what more could a guy want?"

"Freedom," said Sabo, staring at his feet, "I wanted my freedom."

Sabo felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Well if freedom is what you want, you sure got it now. Look, how 'bout we work together. I need a partner in crime, you need someone to show you the ropes, does that sound good?" Sabo nodded enthusiastically.

"By the way, my name's Ace. You are?"

"Sabo."

The two shook hands, and with that, a bond was formed. A pact of brotherhood and partnership if you will. An unbreakable tie.

* * *

Sabo set down his pen, and blew over the drying ink. Looking over his work, he shuffled his papers into a neat pile, and pushed out his chair. Stretching out his arms, he got up, and trotted towards the door. He wandered down the hallway until he finally saw Koala.

"Hey there, ," she teased him, "You good now?"

"Yeah," murmured Sabo. The girl was the only one who knew about his tear-stained pages and long nights.

"Hold me," he said, right before collapsing into her arms.

"It's ok, Sabo, it's ok," said Koala, holding him as he sobbed into her shoulder.

* * *

A.N.: I'm so sorry, I know Shiki's birthday is today too, but I'm beyond exhausted, and I can barely keep my eyes open at this point. I promise to all of you, I will definitely do Shiki as a follow-up tomorrow. It's been a pretty long week, so I'm trying to make it up to all of you with this chunk of Sabo-y goodness. I _really_ hope you enjoyed. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated. See you tomorrow for Shiki then!


	30. Mar 24- Thatch

Marco snickered as he set up the objects around Thatch's bed. Boy would the bread-head have fun with this when he woke up! The placing of the objets was meticulous and precise, designed for ultimate aggravation. The rest of the crew was upstairs, preparing further, but Marco had been assigned to this task, and he was determined to do it well. As he finally reached the doorway, he placed one last object before screaming "WAKE UP!"

Thatch bolted up straight, his eyes wide. He caught a brief glimpse of blue fire, but when he looked to the door, he couldn't see anything. He shrugged and began laying back down. Then, he saw the floor. Hundreds upon thousands of cups, filled to the brim with water surrounded his bed. They reached all the way to the door, and even extended out into the hallway.

"MARCO!" he screamed jumping out of bed, realizing too late what a stupid mistake that was. Cups flew everywhere, the water dousing Thatch in rivets. Thatch tried to control himself. His inner organizing instinct was going insane. His eyes were darting across the room, and weeping at the mess they saw. But if he freaked, he would only make it worse. So slowly but surely, he made his way to his porthole, and cranked it open. He reached for the cups, and poured them one by one out the window. It was monotonous and tiring work, but it needed to be done.

* * *

An hour later, Thatch disposed of the last cup, and boy was he glad. He strode onto the deck, hoping Whitebeard wouldn't be too angry with him for his tardiness. Thatch looked up to the great pirate, and did all he could to make him proud. Though it was only his second year on the boat, he already felt like he belonged.

Deep in his thoughts, he didn't even notice until the bright blue water balloon struck him upside the head.

"Happy second birthday on the ship, Bread-head!" chorused the crew, before pelting him with water balloons. It was like his first birthday on the ship, only worse. Pies, he could return fire with. Water balloons? No chance. All he could do was stand there, and take the hits. He felt the droplets run down his spine, sending a chill right down to his bones. But for some reason, soaking wet as he was, he couldn't get mad.

"Aww, give the brat a fighting chance will you?" said Whitebeard, emerging from his cabin. The crew laughed, and Thatch was tossed a bucket of water balloons. Chaos erupted. No longer was Thatch the target of their games; the deck turned into a full out battlefield. Rubber weaponry was being shot everywhere, slingshots were loaded and fired, and Marco was bombarding the crew from above. It was absolute mania. But Thatch loved it. 'So this is what it means to be a Whitebeard Pirate?' he thought as he flung a revenge shot at the pheonix-man. He could only wonder what his third year would be like.

* * *

A.N.: Yay! It turned out well! For those of you who aren't in on the whole 'pie' thing, read the follow-up to Ace's one-shot. I like messing with the idea of Thatch. Just by looking at him, I kinda assumed he was the organized, precise type, especially as he's a cook. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you tomorrow for Ohm!


	31. Mar 25- Ohm

Day after day, he practiced. Kick, block, strike, and repeat. Kick, block, strike, and repeat. Over and over until his strikes turned heavy, his blocks soft, and his kicks loose and unthreatening. And after that there was still more! Mantra training with Satori came next in the training sequence. Blindfolds would adorn their eyes, and kicks, blocks, and strikes were executed until they collapsed. But today was different. Today, Satori would have to train with Shura, for today was Ohm's birthday.

He woke up smiling, content with himself. His bruises ached from the day before, but he barely noticed. He sauntered out the back, not wanting to face his bretheren in the courtyard. No, if they saw him, their hearts would turn greedy and envious of his freedom, and that would contradict his whole liberating purpose. If they turned greedy, he would have to kill them, and free them of their sins. So Ohm exited by the back, rather pleased with himself. But before he could leave the dojo, he was stopped.

"Ohm," said Eneru, placing a hand on Ohm's shoulder.

"Yes Kami-sama," responded Ohm, kneeling at once.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"I believe it is my holiday, Kami-sama."

"Is that so? I don't remember authorizing it," said Eneru, dragging Ohm to his feet. Ohm could only hang limply from Eneru's hand, as struggling would only worsen his situation.

"Go back to your training," said Eneru, dropping Ohm and walking away. Ohm felt annoyed with Eneru. But he quickly reverted to neutrality. Annyoyance could lead to revenge, and revenge was a sin. Besides, the world thatn Eneru spoke of, a world without sin, was a world worth missing a day off for.

* * *

A.N.: Hooray! This is the last of our March Birthdays. I'm somewhat glad for it! I've fallen off-track since mid-March, so it'll be nice to have this week to catch up. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you next time for our April list and Usopp's Birthday!


	32. Apr 1- Usopp and Apr List

_Center it. Center iiit. Pull farther back. No, release on the strain. That's it. Now aim. _**THUD** went the pebble, hitting its mark. Immediately, a fair-skinned blonde opened up the window, grinning widely.

"Hello Ussop!" said Kaya, waving at the long-nosed liar.

" Ms. Kaya!" said Ussop from his treetop perch; "Boy do I have a story for you today!"

"Is that so? Give me just a minute!"

Kaya walked to her desk and grabbed her chair and a white box. Dragging the chair back to the window, she threw on her sweater and took a seat, holding the box in her lap.

"Now what were you saying?" she asked Usopp, her eyes glistening happily.

"Right then! Well, once upon on time, in a land far away, there lived a man whose name was pretty similar to mine actually…"

* * *

The mighty Captain Usopp was sailing the seas with his 8000 men in search of a legendary treasure. He wasn't sure yet what he was looking for, but he would know when he found it.

"Captain! Captain!" yelled his first mate, Kuffy, "Land ho!"

Captain Usopp took to the crow's nest and pulled up his binoculars. Sure enough, there was a large landform up ahead.

"Alright you scallywags!" shouted Usopp, "Prepare for landing!"

* * *

"Hold on!" laughed Kaya, "Scallywags?"

"What about it?" groused Usopp.

"No one even says that anymore!"

"Fine then…"

* * *

"Alright you scumbags!" shouted Usopp, "Prepare for landing!"

"Aye-aye, Captain!" responded his crew, quickly attending to all the necessary preparations they would need. Soon enough, a rowboat was loaded with Pirate Bentos and cutlasses, ready for adventure. His swordsman, Yoro, his navigator, Mami, his cook, Tanji, and his firstmate Kuffy boarded the rowboat, chatting excitedly.

"All right, that's enough jibber-jabber from all of you!" said Captain Usopp, brandishing his almighty weapon: the White Jabuto.

"Now let's get going already! Yoro, Kuffy, take the oars!"

"Aye-aye Captain!" replied the two, who immediately began paddling.

"Idiots!" screamed Mami, "You're rowing us back _towards_ the ship! Paddle the other way!"

* * *

"That Mami sure sounds like quite the bossy lady," said Kaya, giggling.

"Oh she is," said Usopp, "she's strong enough to even frighten the great Captain Usopp sometimes!"

* * *

Yoro and Kuffy quickly took Mami's directions, fearing her wrath. Since the two were incredibly strong, they reached the shore in only a few minutes.

"Nicely done, men!" said Captain Usopp. Mami glared at him. "And women."

The crew got off the rowboat, and Tanji anchored it to the harbour. Captain Usopp looked up towards the skyline, and saw something rather peculiar. At the very center of the island was a pink, layered mountain. Even more peculiar were the burning trees that topped it.

"Alright men and women, let's split up!" declared the Captain. "Mami, you and Tanji will cover the East side of the island."

"I'd be most happy to accompany our lovely navigator !" exclaimed Sanji, his eyes gleaming, and a bizarre smile adorning his face.

* * *

"That's a pretty weird reaction…" murmured Kaya.

"Oh it is," replied Usopp, "You see," he said, lowering his voice, "Tanji's a bit of a pervert."

Kaya placed her hand over her mouth in exagerated shock.

"Oh my! Will Mami really be okay?"

"Don't worry. Tanji may be a perv, but he's a gentleman at heart. Besides, Mami knows how to handle him."

* * *

"Oh Tanji-kun!" whined Mami, pouting, "My bag is _really_ heavy."

"Not to worry Mami-Swan! I've got it!" said Tanji, immediately taking her knapsack from her.

"Oh thank you, Tanji-kun!" said Mami, giggling as Tanji beamed.

"Now," said Captain Usopp, "Yoro, Kuffy, and I will take the West end of the island,"

"I could do it myself, y'know…" grumbled Yoro.

"No, you couldn't!" chorused the crew.

* * *

"Yoro's kinda hopeless with directions," said Usopp.

"How bad _is_ it?"

"Oh, you'll see."

* * *

"Alright-y then," said Captain Usopp, "we'll meet up in the center of the island in one hour. That's the big pink mountain."

"Roger that!" said the crew, and they set off.

"Yoro, get back here!" yelled Kuffy, "You're going the wrong way!"

"Eh?" said Zoro, looking back at Kuffy. Kuffy's arm shot out and grabbed the swordsman's collar.

"Gck!" gurgled the swordsman, a rocketing force pulling him backward.

"Don't wander off, Yoro!" scolded Captain Usopp, "We've finished charting this side of the island. Now, we go to the mountain!"

* * *

"What kind of weird ability is that?" asked Kaya, her eyes wide and questioning.

"Kuffy is really flexible. He ate this thing called the Angel's Vegetable, and he gained stretchy powers and stuff."

"That's… Interesting," said Kaya politely.

"Oh it's actually pretty useful! Captain Usopp likes to use Kuffy as a slingshot sometimes."

* * *

"Alright, so we've mapped out this side of the island," said Mami, folding away her beam compass and handing it to Tanji, who dutifully packed it into Mami's tool pack. "Is there anything else we missed?"

"Well, there was a fruit I kinda wanted to—"

"Alrighty then! Let's head up to the mountain, shall we?"

"Of course, Mami-Swan!"

* * *

"And so when they arrived at the mountain, they found that it wasn't a mountain at all, but a giant pink birthday cake!" said Usopp, spreading his arms to emphasise. "Of course, since it was Captain Usopp's birthday, he got to eat the whole thing!"

"And he didn't even get a stomach-ache?" Kaya giggled.

"Well, that's a story for another day."

"It's funny, I just so happen to have something that the great 'Captain Usopp' might recognize…" Kaya opened the box in her lap, and passed it to Usopp.

"I-It's my mountain of cake! But how did you know?"

"Oh, I just had a feeling," smiled Kaya. She'd sent Merry over to Usopp's to spy on him practicing his story telling. "Do you like it?"

"Yeah! I love it! Just enough to do this!" he said, flicking a glob of whipped cream at Kaya.

"You rascal!" she cried playfully.

"Happy April Fool's, Kaya! And thank you for the cake!"

* * *

A.N.: If I had to ship something non-canon in One Piece, it'd be KayaxUsopp. They're too cute! As well as it being Usopp's birthday, I thought I would do an Usopp "can read into the future" parody for April Fool's day as something a little out of my comfort range. Did it turn out ok?

Happy April Fool's! I am absolutely determined to keep a better writing schedule for this month. Last month was kind of a giant disaster and I really feel bad about it. So here's to April and punctuality! As it is the first of the month, here is the April List:

April 1- Usopp

April 2- Jinbei and Zeff

April 3- Brook

April 4- Shirahoshi and Foxy

April 6- Whitebeard

April 9- Marguerite and Caesar Clown

April 13- Hody Jones

April 14- Axe-hand Morgan

April 20- Blueno

April 22- Captain Kuro

April 23- Kalifa

As you can see, it's a pretty big line-up. Two Strawhats and some pretty big antagonists. I'm both anxious and excited to be tackling April. If I've missed anyone on the list, don't be afraid to point it out! I want to make sure I include everyone in this project! Thank you all for your continued support and please, Review, Favourite, Subscribe, or Request something of me! It's all welcomed, and it's all appreciated! See you tomorrow for Jinbei and Zeff!

I want to give a special 'Thank You' to the guest who reviewed on the last chapter. Your review really made my day, and made me recognize that I'm being appreciated. I sincerely take pleasure in knowing that you enjoy my content, and I hope you continue to.

-Angel


	33. Apr 2- Zeff and Jinbei

"Look Hachi!" yelled Keimi, pointing at a shadow-laden figure in the distance. "It's Jinbei!" Keimi began waving at the figure excitedly. Hachi looked over at the figure and squinted. Sure enough, the former Shichibukai had finally returned after yet another long journey.

The octopus man cupped his hands to his mouth.

"Jinbei!" he shouted, "Let's have lunch together, eh? Just like old times!"

Jinbei gave him a thumbs-up in return, and shifted his baggage to his other shoulder.

A half hour later, Jinbei was chowing down on some fresh takoyaki, happily talking about his adventures.

"And the poor sea-kitten couldn't even find his way back home!" said Jinbei, finishing off yet another stick of Hachi's specialties.

"That sounds terrible!" said Keimi, pouring Jinbei some more tea.

"It was! Luckily everything turned out alright in the end, but it sure was a tricky situation."

"Er… Speaking of tricky situations, I kind of need a favour…" said Keimi, trailing off.

"Of course! How can I help?"

"Well, you see, it's Papug. We think he's missing!" said Keimi, bursting into tears.

"Oh dear!" said Jinbei, "Are you absolutely sure of it?"

"We haven't seen him in days, and he recently missed his own fashion show," said Hachi, handing Keimi some tissues.

"When was the last time you saw him?" asked Jinbei.

"Well, I was dropping him off at town hall," sniffed Keimi, "and he told me not to pick him up again, since he had some errands to run. This was about 2 days ago. Yesterday was his fashion show, and he wasn't in attendance."

"Has he contacted you at all since?"

"No," whimpered Keimi, a fresh burst of tears falling onto her cheeks.

"I'll do what I can," said Jinbei grimly, thanking Hachi for the food and walking out the door.

Jinbei started at the town hall. After all, it was the last place Papug had been seen. As he walked up the steps, he noticed something fluttering in the wind. A red piece of paper attached to a string that was tied around a column. He grabbed the paper, and examined it.

"If you want the starfish back, go to the concert hall," he read. 'Well they obviously don't know what they're dealing with' he smirked.

"Hi-yah!" screamed Jinbei, smashing the door down.

"SURPRISE!" yelled a group of people, jumping out of the shadows, "Happy Birthday!"

Jinbei froze in his karate pose, mortified. Papug walked up to him, laughing nervously.

"Well… It was a surprise, right?"

* * *

Zeff was tired of that stupid brat.

"Cheesecake, Sanji, it's only a freakin' CHEESECAKE!"

14 years old, and he couldn't even make a stinkin' cheesecake. The kid's 'cakes', if you could even call them that, were either too cheesy or too cakey. And the brat tried to be funny about it too, serving customers entire blocks of cheese.

"Forgive me oh Kami," muttered Zeff, "if this poor former-pirate returns to his murderous ways." Zeff had finally had enough. He'd decided to teach the rascal personally.

"Alright you little punk," said Zeff, "get your damn ingredients."

"For what?" asked Sanji, chewing on a toothpick and tapping his foot.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK?" roared the chef.

"Right, right," said Sanji, hurrying to the fridge, "cheesecake."

The boy returned with graham crumbs, butter, cream cheese, sugar, flour, vanilla, sour cream, and eggs.

"Preheat your oven, 325 Farenheit," grumbled Zeff.

Sanji turned the dials, and returned to his station.

"Good so far. Which isn't saying much. Get your pan out, idiot."

Sanji didn't protest. It would only have made things worst.

"Mix your butter and graham for the crust, and put it in the pan."

Sanji obliged.

"Oi! You're mixing too fast! Slow down, idiot!" Sanji slowed down mockingly, moving at an inch per minute rate.

"You gonna be stupid about this?" asked Zeff, punching the kid. "Put it in the pan now, dumbass, and throw it in the oven. 10 minutes." Sanji bit his lip in pain, and completed the task in earnest, as not to get beaten again.

"Mix the rest of your ingredients now; save the eggs."

Sanji tossed his ingredients into a large bowl, and began mixing.

"Alright, you can put in your eggs now."

Sanji cracked his eggs expertly, using only one hand, and added them to the mixture.

"Great. Get your crust, pour in your mixture, and refrigerate. I'll be taste-testing in an hour. Be ready by then," said Zeff, slinging a towel over his shoulder and walking out of the kitchen to his study.

* * *

An hour, a forkful of cake, and a string of cuss words later, Zeff gave up. Officially. Someone else would have to do the cheesecake. The brat was simply awful at it. Zeff sat down at his desk, and picked through several documents. The door creeped open, and Sanji walked in slowly. In the corner of Zeff's eye, he could see a small light was flickering near Sanji's hand.

"Please don't tell me you're smoking again," groaned Zeff.

"No, no," said Sanji, "Just…Here."

The brat set down a white platter, on which rested a golden yellow cheesecake. The light Zeff had seen was a small candle, set in the middle of the cake.

"No. Absolutely not. I've had enough of your-Mmph!" Sanji shoved a forkful of cake in his mouth.

"How's that, old geezer?" asked Sanji.

Zeff chewed on the cake, and slowly swallowed. It was perfect. The cake was fluffy, but just dense enough. The cheese was soft and sweet, like a grandmother's lullaby. If Zeff hadn't known better, he'd think that Sanji had been perfecting this one recipe his entire life.

"Good," said Zeff, wiping the crumbs from his mouth, "It's good."

* * *

A.N.: Ta-Da! Two more lovely paternal figures! I love Jinbei so much; my favourite scene in all of One Piece is the blood-transfusion scene in episode 568. The music, the animation, and the speech just gives me tingles every time! And Zeff is such a powerful parental figure. He and Sanji represent perfectly the love-hate relationship between teens and parents. I hope I did these two amazing characters justice! Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you tomorrow for Brook!


	34. Apr 3- Brook

"Yeah!" finished Brook, striking a final chord on his guitar. The crowd went wild. Screams and cheers resonated in the concert hall. Dozens of panties rained onto the stage. And the chant began.

"Encore! Encore! Encore! Encore!"

Brook rushed offstage to meet his managers.

"Do we have time?" he asked, readjusting his guitar straps.

"They didn't pay for encores," replied his manager, sternly.

"But the fans—"

"Can just buy your CD if they want to hear your music again."

Brook sighed and went back up on stage.

"I'm very sorry everybody, but that's all we have time for tonight!"

Th crowd 'Awwed' simultaneously in dissapointment. Brook thought about it for a second.

"You know what?" he shouted, "Maybe just one more song!"

The crowd cheered.

"Now have I ever told you guys about the man who will become Pirate King?"

* * *

Brook ran offstage, bidding his fans goodnight.

"What the hell was that?" growled his Manager, grabbing Brook's wrist.

"I gave them what they desired," said Brook, wrenching away from his manager.

"This'll come out of your paycheck y'know!" yelled his manager.

"I'm very sorry to say this, but I DON'T CARE!" said Brook, slinging his guitar onto his back and exiting the concert hall.

Brook rushed to the nearest café, and quickly took a seat. He was upset. Very upset. Touring around the world was allowing him to meet new people, as well as enthrall them with his music. But the commercialism was strictly against his morals. Music should come from the soul, not a heart of greed. He didn't care much for the money. He wanted to keep playing, but he didn't want his music or his soul to be tainted. Soon enough, a waitress walked over to him.

"What can I get for you, SOUL KING!?" she exclaimed, dropping her notepad. "Oh my goodness I love your music!"

"Is it that so?" said Brook, smiling, "Yo-ho-ho-ho! Why thank you, young Ms."

"My favourite song of yours is the one about the Pirate King! It's really moving!"

"That one is special to me as well."

The waitress shifted uncomfortably.

"Um… I know it's not my place to ask this, but would you mind doing a set for the shop?"

"Of course not! It would be my pleasure!"

"Oh thank you!"

Brook rose from his seat, and the waitress directed him to the small stage at the corner of the café. There was only a small amplifier, and no cord at all.

"Oh jeez!" said the waitress, "I'm so sorry! I forgot that our cord was missing!"

"That's not a problem!" said Brook, "I'll do an acoustic set. Do you have a violin?"

"Um… We do have something," said the waitress, hurrying to the back of the store.

The girl retuned with a dusty violin, and a frail-looking bow.

"This was the owner's," she said, wiping the violin with a cloth, "my father's. I know he wouldn've been happy to see it get some use!"

"Thank you young Ms," said Brook, taking the violin gently. As soon as his hands touched the wood, he felt it. The violin contained soul. It was the soul of a man who was passionate about music. Though he was unable to sustain himself with it, the man played everyday till he died, leaving the instrument with a fragment of his very being. Brook felt his hands loosen, and his shoulders relax. This… This was what music was about.

Brook tucked the violin under his chin, and raised the bow to the strings.

"Ladies and gentleman!" said the waitress, calling her customers' attention; "I'm honored to present to you the wonderul Soul King, who will be serenading us acousticly today!"

The café clapped politely, and Brook gave them a small nod before beginning.

He began slowly, unsure of how the strings would test under the bow. But once he found they were stable, he began quickening his pace, reaching a steady and solid tempo. It was then that he found the soul of the violin urging him to play a specific set of patterns and notes. He obeyed, and when he did, he saw the waitress's eyes widen and tear up in disbelief. 'Her father must have played these songs' thought Brook, carrying on with the piece. The soul of the violin pressed Brook to slow down, and he submit to the instrument's will. The notes lessened, and finally, song closed on a trill.

The café applauded him loudly, and Brook returned the violin to the waitress.

"Thank you," she said, tears running down her cheeks, "but how did you know?"

Brook could only smile at her.

"Your father was a passionate man. I suggest you keep that violin and continue his passion."

With that, Brook tipped her his hat, and strolled out of the café, renewed and ready to take on the world that lay before him.

* * *

A.N.: Mmm... I love writing music prose, and Brook is probably the best character to work with for that. He's so passionate, and so soulful, it makes for a great combination. I love the idea of him being able to sense the fragments of the souls of the deceased. I just feel like it works. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! I'll see you tomorrow for Shirahoshi and Foxy!


	35. Apr 4- Shirahoshi and Foxy

"Here, milady!" said Shirahoshi's lady-in-waiting, draping her hair in a red silk scarf embedded with jewels. "Take a look!" said the old mermaid, turning a mirror towards the princess.

"I love it," said Shirahoshi, "but does it need to be so… Sparkly?"

"Of course it does!" exclaimed her lady-in-waiting; "You're being presented to the kingdom today! My goodness, your 18th birthday! I remember when you were but a baby!" reminisced the mermaid, clasping her hands together. "Now, put on the rest of these robes, and Yatsumi will do your makeup!"

Shirahoshi was handed a pile of white cloth, and nearly fell over from all the weight. She unfolded the kimono, and saw that it too was embedded with jewels and precious metals. She put on the clothing, and felt herself sink under all the weight. She was used to nice things, but this was too much. It was almost obnoxious. Not even the late Queen Otohime had ever worn anything like this.

"Yatsumi!" she called her maid, "It's on!"

Yatsumi entered with a red silk obi.

"Oh princess you look lovely!" declared the young mermaid, rushing to help Shirahoshi tie her obi. Shirahoshi gasped as she felt her innards squish together.

"Too…tight!" she managed to say, and Yatsumi loosened her grip slightly.

"Better?" she asked.

Shirahoshi made a small guttural noise in response, to which Yatsumi laughed.

"Alright, princess, come to the next room, and we'll do your makeup!"

Shirahoshi sighed, and as soon as Yatsumi left the room, she loosened her obi, and swam towards the courtyard. This special treatment was sickening. A princess should be able to guide her people in rags! What was with all these expensive silks and jewels? She wanted so badly to be recognized by her kingdoom; it was the only way she could continue campaigning in her mother's name. But she didn't want to do it like this. Not in these heavy, exiquisite robes.

She quickly slipped back to her room, and undressed, putting on a simple white and orange robe, much like the one her mother used to have. She looked in the mirror, thinking over her decision. She would present herself, but like this instead. She had no need for ceremonial robes and such. She finished with a quick dab of pink lipstick, and rushed outside, bumping into her father.

"Shirahoshi!" exclaimed King Neptune, "There you are! We've been looking all over for you! What have you been doing? Where's your kimono? Your jewels? Your crown?"

"I'll explain later, Father!" said the princess, "but I must go to my address!"

"That's right you do!" said Neptune, as Shirahoshi sped away.

Shirahoshi reached the Gyoncorde Plaza where the kingdom had gathered. On the stage, she saw the Minister of the Left looking for her.

"Princess!" he cried as he saw her, "Where have you been? And what in the world are you wearing?"

"I'll explain later, but I'd like to speak to my people first," sai Shirahoshi, bowing her head.

"Very well," said the Minister, turning to the crowd. "People of Fishman Island! Today, we celebrate the birth of our princess. But we also celebrate the birth of the legendary weapon, Poseidon."

Shirahoshi hated that. She hated being called a weapon. She, who had never harmed nor killed, was born into destruction. But she didn't have to. She could change that.

"For the first time today, our princess will address her nation, as she is of age. I present to you, of the Ryugu Kingdom, King Neptune and the Late Queen Otohime's daughter, the mermaid princess Shirahoshi-hime."

The crowd cheered loudly as Shirahoshi took her place on the podium.

"My good people. I stand here today, as not your princess, not a weapon, but as a continuer, an image, of my mother's will. Several years ago, you may remember a man by the name of Monkey D. Luffy. He saved us all from the villainous Hody Jones. He is proof of my mother's will. Proof that we, as two species can co-exist! Today, as I stand before you, I want you all to know how proud I am of how far we've come. I want you all to know that of this day, I will be working, and striving to go further. So the only thing I ask you today is to support me in my endeavours. Thank you."

* * *

"That'll be 497 crewmates please!" said Miyagi the Blue, rubbing his hands wickedly. Foxy couldn't believe it. He'd lost the biggest Davy Back Fight of his life. And big time too. He'd been planning a big win for his birthday, and thought that Miyagi would be the perfect opponent. He'd been completely wrong. Miyagi saw right through all of Foxy's tricks, and since both of their crews were large enough, they both had referees in play, making cheating impossible. And now, all of his crew, all of his years of hard work, was gone. All that remained was Porche and Hamburg. Now, of course he wasn't going to be honorable about this! He was going to get his crew back!

He waited until it was dark. Miyagi and himself had both docked in Oron City's ports for the night. Their boats were right next to each other, a conveninent set-up for both Captains.

"Porche, Hamburg," he said, shaking them out of their beds, "get up."

"Mmm…" groaned Porche, "Oyabiiiin… What do you waaaant?"

Hamburg giggled idiotically, as he usually tended to do.

"We're gonna get our crew back," said Foxy, rubbing his hands deviously.

"Whaaat?" said Porche, rubbing her eyes, "but Oyabiiin, we can't—"

"Well too bad! I don't want to go through all that hard work again!"

Hamburg snickered, but didn't say anything.

"Ugh. Fiiine!" whined Porche, dragging herself to her dresser. "Just let me get ready."

An hour later (why do women take so long to get dressed?!) they were standing outside Miyagi's ship.

"Oyabin, how are we going to do this? They have almost 1000 men!"

"Half of which are ours, Porche. Don't worry, it'll be a snap."

Porche looked doubtful, but Hamburg pushed her up onto the ship, and she didn't try fighting back.

"Where do we start?" asked Porche, looking around.

"Well, how about we split up?" said Foxy, "Miyagi's bound to be sleeping. And with my powers, I can get rid of him easily. You can go get the crew, and see if anyone from Miyagi's crew wants to join in too. Hamburg can handle the ones who don't. It can get pretty violent, and we don't want that pretty face of yours ruined, now do we?"

Porche giggled, and blushed. Hamburg snorted. Really, all the monkey ever did was laugh.

"We'll see you back on the ship then!" said Porche, heading below-deck.

Foxy headed in the other direction, climbing up a ladder towards the captain's bunk. Miyagi was rather egotistical, and preferred to sleep (literally) higher than all of his crewmates. Foxy, on the other hand, enjoyed his crew's company, and slept below-deck like everyone else. When Foxy reached the top he encountered, a dark-eyed guard, brandishing a longsword. He was about to shout when he realised it was Itomimizu.

"Oyabin?" said the former announcer, his eyes wide.

"Shh!" said Foxy, placing a finger to his lips. "Itomimizu, do you want to go back?"

Tears began welling in Itomimizu's eyes, and he nodded enthusiastically.

"But Oyabin—"

"Yes, I know it's not fair, but we're doing it anyways. Porche's below-deck, meet with her there.

Itomimizu gave him a thumbs-up, and began climbing down the ladder.

Foxy opened the door to Miyagi's room, and creeped inside, tiptoing to Miyagi's bedside.

"Noro Noro!" he whiper-shouted, and snickered when he saw Miyagi's breathing slow.

* * *

"That was fun, wasn't it?" said Foxy the next morning.

His crew cheered, including a few new additions.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the port of Oron, Miyagi had woken up.

"FOXY!" he's screamed, looking at the mirror and seeing a monocle, mustache, and several other unspeakable pictures drawn in black permanent marker on his face.

* * *

A.N.: Phew. That was a tough one. I kinda made Foxy OOC, since I'd written a plot for the one-shot already, and didn't really want to go back to change it o_o" Shirahoshi was also a tad OOC. I guess today overall was just OOC. I procrastinated too much, which was very OOC for me. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are all welcomed and much appreciated! See you on April 6th for Whitebeard!


	36. Apr 6- Whitebeard

Newgate felt as he had gained everything the world had to offer. He was powerful; his devil fruit had made it so. He was wealthy; treasure had no bounds, and riches were easily attained. He was famous; marines stood no chance against him, and his bounty was large. But the one thing he lacked, and the only thing he wanted, was company. His captain had died years ago, and his crew had disbanded quickly after. Newgate wanted a crew, but the right people just never seemed to come along. He was wondering if he should just give up and settle down in some quaint, little old village. No. He couldn never give up his boat. The Moby Dick was Newgate's pride and joy, made especially for him at Water 7. But the ship got quiet sometimes, and all you could often hear were the waves crashing against the hull.

'A ship this large shouldn't be so empty' thought Newgate, steering the Moby Dick towards Pineapple Island's shores. Newgate had wanted to come here for a long time, but had never really gotten the chance. Finally, he'd attained an Eternal Log Pose, and began sailing there instantly. He'd heard that the island's pineapples, after which the island itself had been named, were to die for. But they were guarded by a mythological beast. Newgate knew the 'beast' was probably just a mythical zoan type; nothing he couldn't handle anyways.

He docked the Moby Dick, and jumped off onto the beach. The sand ran upwards on a slant till it met a jungle. The jungle was filled with pineapple trees, but they were all barren. Whitebeard sighed. If the fruit was all gone, this trip would've been for nothing. So he decided to go further into the forest, trekking up the hill.

When he reached the peak of the slope, he looked down to see a large waterfall curtaining a large pineapple plantation, and flowing into a river surrounding the plantation. Obviously, the bodies of water were to keep out Devil Fruit users. The 'beast' would kill off whoever did get through. 'Are these damned pineapples really that good?' thought Newgate, trying to assess the best way to reach the other side. He scanned the area. The 'beast' must have a way to get in.

"Don't even try, whitebeard" said a bird, flitting above Newgate's head. No, not a bird, a pheonix.

"Are you the keeper of this grove?" asked Newgate, looking up.

"As a matter of a fact, I am. And as keeper, it's my duty to ensure that noone every reaches this grove or the fruit within it."

"Well, I'd like to challenge you in that case."

"Doesn't everyone?" chuckled the bird, diving towards Newgate.

* * *

Hours later, the pheonix had been defeated, and had reverted to his human form. A man stood before Newgate, his hair golden and his face long. Newgate had to say, the man looked rather like a pineapple himself.

Still panting, the guardian kneeled at Newgate's feet.

"I have failed in my duties," he said, head bowed, "You may taste the fruit."

Newgate laughed heartily.

"Who says you have failed? I have a proposition for you. You can, obviously, no longer be guardian of this grove once you report to your superiors that you have 'failed' in protecting it. Why not just ditch this place, and sail the seas with me? As a pirate."

"Freedom…" whispered the man, his eyes glowing and hopeful.

"I don't have a crew or a name yet, but I can guarantee you unrestraint and the pleasure do as you please."

"Deal," said the man, smiling softly, ruffling his own hair.

"Alright then…"

"Marco," said the man, "Marco the Pheonix."

"Figures. Alright then, Marco, let's get going then!"

"You got it, whitebeard!"

"I don't even have a beard…"

"Yeah, but 'whitebeard' sounds better than 'whitemoustache' doesn't it?"

* * *

A.N.: Hello! Here it is! Sorry for the delay! Thank you to OnePieceNarutoBleachFan for being so supportive! I wanted to add kind of a touch of parody in there, just to make it a bit silly. Because, I love to think of Whitebeard as the kind of dad who'd make stupid dad jokes and get really lonely without his family. He just seems like that kind of guy. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you tomorrow for Marguerite and Caesar Clown!


	37. Apr 9- Marguerite and Caesar Clown

Marguerite stared in wonder at the bright colors of the festival. It was the anniversary of Salvation, the day when the young empress Boa Hancock had returned to Amazon Lily after having been away for so long. It was also Marguerite's birthday. She would have liked to think that it was her own personal festival; dedicated to her and her alone, but that would be selfish.

Marguerite got dressed in her festival clothes, and ran down the stairs.

She nearly tripped on her red robes, and stumbled on the last step.

"Marguerite?" called her mother, "Are you alright?"

"Yes mom!" answered Marguerite, running into the kitchen. Her mother was slicing meat with expert hands. Marguerite wished she could start weapon training. But she was too young.

"Are you going to the festival?" asked her mother, dropping the cubed meat into a boiling pot.

"Yeah! With Aphelandra and Sweet Pea!"

"You sure are close with them aren't you?"

"Mmhmm! When we grow up, we're gonna be warriors of Kuja, and sail with the Empress on her pirate ship!" she said, thrusting her fan in front of her, as if it were a sword.

"Wow! Well you better get going if you want to impress the Empress!"

"Huh?"

"She's agreed to be on a float in the festival. Originally, she didn't want to, but Elder Nyon managed to convince her."

Marguerite's heart began beating excitedly. She would be able to meet the Empress! She wondered if Hancock was as beautiful as they said. Margeurite hated to say it, but sometimes she doubted the Empress. Though she had never seen her in person, Marguerite had heard that the selfish Hancock made some awful decisions sometimes, and was uncaring for the Kuja. But she was pardonned because of her beauty, and Marguerite didn't understand that. There were many beautiful women in Kuja, but if they kicked Marguerite's puppy, or threw her out of the castle, she would _never_ forgive them. Of course, Marguerite respected the Empress for her strength. The Eye of the Gorgon granted the Empress and her sisters incredible powers, and although the Empress might have been cruel and shallow, she defended the Kuja proudly, never allowing the Marines to get but 10,000 metres from the island. So Marguerite supposed it was all right.

"I'll see you later, mom!" shouted Marguerite, running out the door. She saw Sweet Pea and Aphelandra walking towards Town Square.

"You guys!" shouted Marguerite, sauntering towards them.

"Marguerite!" they chorused, laughing and embracing her.

"Did you hear?" asked Marguerite, "Empress Hancock is making a public appearance!" the girls squealed, jumping up and down.

"We know!" said Aphelandra, "that's why we're going!"

"Isn't it exciting?" said Sweet Pea, "Oh, and Marguerite! It's your birthday, right?" Marguerite nodded, "Then we'll make sure to have lots of fun at the festival today!"

The three entered Town Square, and were quickly pushed to the sidelines by a Kuja pirate.

"Move away from the center!" they shouted, "That's where the parade will be passing by!"

Marguerite, Aphelandra, and Sweet Pea pushed their way to the front of the crowd, right before the crowd began screaming. Empress Hancock's float was coming round. Bacura, Boa Sandersonia's pet panther, was pulling the great red platform. The great black beast itself was wrapped in snakes, as if they were jewelery. The float was decorated in gold strings that led up to the throne centerpiece. Marguerite's eyes instantly fell to the strings, and her eyes drifted slowly upwards until she saw her: Empress Hancock.

The woman, no, goddess, was indescribable. Marguerite had a sudden urge to wait her hand and foot, and to give anything to see her smile. 'What a lucky being I am,' she thought 'to simply be on an earth that posseses what must be a celestial being'. It was if she had been hypnotized.

* * *

Caesar was sick and tired of Vegapunk getting all the fame and glory. The Marines cheered his name every time a new shipment of weapons came in, yet what did Caesar get? Nothing. Not even a handshake. It was infuriating! He spent just as much time as Vegapunk in that stupid lab!

'Too dangerous' they said 'Civilian protection' they countered. His weapons were genius! They were unstoppable! So what if a few innocent people died in the process? It would all be worth it in the end! And to make matters worse, Vegapunk tried to 'help' Caesar with his designs. Yeah right! It just wasn't enough that his colleague got all the credit for _his_ designs, now he had to steal Caesar's too! Caesar was envisioning a way he could get back at Vegapunk when suddenly, one of his scientists burst into the room.

"Caesar! Caesar!" the man yelled, frantic. "They've fired you!"

The Clown collapsed, his head spinning. For the first time in ages, his cloak dissapated, and all that remained was his solid form. 'Fired'. The word spun in his mind. 'They can't fire me!' he thought, 'THEY CAN'T FIRE ME!'.

"VEGAPUNK!" he roared, shaking his fists towards the sky.

* * *

A.N.: Today's one-shots were rather cliff-hangery, don't you think? I was kinda picturing them a little differently, but I definitely like Caesar's 'mad scientist' bit. Clichéd? Definitely. But who isn't up for some cliché every once in a while? Marguerite's part took a little more time, and was a bit more complex. I tried to give it a sort of 'snake-charming' vibe. I don't know, what do you guys think? Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you on April 13th for Axe-Hand Morgan!


	38. Apr 13- Axe-Hand Morgan

Morgan woke up in a daze, staring blearily at the white ceiling above him. How had he gotten here? What was going on? He'd attacked Kuro last night, that he knew, but there was a certain point in the battle… Where everything just went blank. And then he found himself here. He opened his mouth, and heard it creak. Creak?

"What the hell…" he muttered. Alright then, he could talk, but what was on his face? He reached his right hand up to examine himself, and was terrified to see a giant axe on the end of his arm.

"ARRGH!" he shouted, jumping out of the bed.

"Oh," said a small man, sitting at a desk in the corner of the room, "you seem to be awake." The man picked up a baby Den-Den Mushi from the desk, and spoke into it. "Patient has recovered conscience. Steps to proceed?"

The Den Den Mushi crackled before responding.

"Inform patient on happenings of last night. Then proceed with rehabilitation."

"Roger that," said the man, turning off the Den Den Mushi and storing it in the front pocket of his lab coat.

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED LAST NIGHT?" roared Morgan, his eyes bulging.

"Captain Morgan, I'm going to have to ask you to calm down," said the man, adjusting his glasses.

"Captain?"

"Yes. You've been promoted after the events of last night."

"Well then," said Morgan, trying to smile. 'No, no, ow, ow, smiling hurts,' he thought, 'no more smiling for now'.

"What exactly _were_ the events of last night?" said Morgan, trying to keep a straight face.

"You really don't remember?" asked the man, reaching for a pen. Morgan shook his head. "Fascinating," said the man, as he wrote down a few notes on his clipboard.

"Look, am I going to have to beat the shit out of you, or are you going to tell me what the hell is wrong with me?" said Morgan, waving his axe-hand-thing.

"Well, what do you remember?" asked the man. Morgan recounted what he knew, making sure not to leave out anything.

"I see," said the man, "well, according to your comrades, Kuro had mutilated you terribly, but you had survived. And, although they all say this part is oddly fuzzy, you managed to single-handedly, literally, capture Kuro. The pirate in question is being interrogated as we speak. Due to your courageous act, you've been promoted. Unfortunately, your limbs were not recoverable. We had to replace them with prosthetics. The steel jaw is merely a brace, but it is irremovable lest you never want to chew again. The axe-hand is replaceable with a more practical prosthetic, but your comrades said you'd enjoy this feature the most."

Morgan sat down, stunned. It was a lot of information to absorb. But his fellow marines had been right. The axe-hand was freaking **_bad-ass_**. And if he didn't like it after a while, he could just replace it. He would be invincible with this built-in piece of weaponry. What's more, he got a promotion out of it all! He had to thank Kuro when he got the chance! 'I'll need a cool catchphrase,' he thought, 'how about "shake the hand of DEATH!"'. Morgan cackled aloud at the thought. The events of last night were turning out to be better than he thought.

* * *

A.N.: I was trying to manipulate Morgan to be a bit more power-hungry at the end. Did it work? So, not only is it Morgan's special day, but it is also the birthday of one of my readers and reviewers: K.B. Maillet! Happy Birthday! If you have time, definitely check out her fanfics. They feature One Piece as well. My personal favourite of hers is the one-shot 'To Overcome'. But other than that, Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! I'll see you tomorrow for Hody Jones!


	39. Apr 14- Hody Jones

"Shhh… he's coming."

Hody walked into the gang's lair, anticipating a surprise. It was his birthday after all, and his crew had promised him something special. He deserved it. He'd been working hard to get into Arlong's crew. Even though he was still 'too young' he wanted to be ready for when he was old enough. That stupid Jinbei could keep his human-loving Sun Pirates. Hody knew that fishmen were the superior race, and that was all there was to it. Arlong would guarantee him power over all those filthy humans.

"Surprise!" yelled his friends, jumping out from their hiding places. The lights slowly flickered on, as they tended to do in the Fishman District. The room looked really nice in Hody's opinion. Seaweed lined the walls, acting as streamers. And there were pictures of bubbles hanging from the ceiling since they didn't have enough money for real Bubbly Coral pieces. It might have been considered pathetic to others, but to Hody, who grew up in poverty, it was a lot.

"Happy Birthday!" said Daruma, offering him a snail shell as a party hat. It didn't have a string attached it it, so Hody had to balance it carefully on his head.

"Thank you guys!" said Hody.

"Do you like it?" asked Zeo nervously.

"Are you kidding?" said Hody, "It's awesome! Seriously, thank you!"

"We made some cake-much," said Ikaros, heading to the table in the middle of the room. Ikaros picked up the rice cakes topped with bits of fish, and handed them out to everyone.

"To another great year!" said Hody, raising his cake in the air.

"Cheers!" said the gang, tapping the cakes together. But just as they were about to eat them, a group of humans broke down their door, brandishing guns and swords. The tall, dark-haired human leading them clucked his tongue and sighed.

"No mermaids here either," he said, sheathing his blade, "Damn. We've been running around this place for hours. I'm starving."

The leader eyed Hody and his friends' rice cakes.

"Those'll do," he said, snatching the cake out of Hody's hand.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" said Hody through gritted teeth.

"Oh calm down!" said the man, taking a bite, "It's only a rice cake! You can just buy more! Blech! These aren't even that good!"

"Hody, no," said Hyouzou, putting a hand on Hody's shoulder. Hody ripped away from Hyouzou's grip, and lunged at the man, toppling him to the ground. 20, 30,40 times he could've hit the man; Hody had stopped counting at 10. He didn't even know, or care, if the man was already dead. He just kept pounding away at the man till his face was a bloody pulp.

He could hear the distant cries of his friends to stop, but he didn't care. He heard the screams of the man's group, but it only encouraged him. This pathetic excuse for a living organism had insulted him and his friends. Not only that, but they were slave sellers; the worst kind of human scum. This corrupted man deserved no respect.

* * *

A.N.: I kinda kept the same Good Guy Gone Bad theme as yesterday. I wrote these two in a row, and didn't really notice until now "-_- But I hope you liked it nevertheless! Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you guys on the 20th for Blueno!


	40. Apr 20- Blueno

"Here we go," said Blueno, positioning the last nail. Bang! Bang! Bang! The bar was finally complete, and their mission was close to beginning.

"5 years, huh?" said Kalifa, sitting down at the main table. Blueno began pouring her a drink. Not only was he skilled at bartending, but it was the perfect cover. In addition, he'd be able to get into leagues with the underground of Water 7 and receive some helpful information.

"Go over the mission plan," said Hattori, who was perched on Lucci's shoulder. Kaku scrunched his nose.

"That is _so_ creepy," he said, inching away from the assasin."

"Alright," said Kalifa, pulling out the mission plan and flipping to the first page. "Firstly, I need to register with Iceburg as a secretary."

"Go on, go on," said Kaku. Kalifa adjusted her glasses.

"That is sexual harassment," she said, flipping to the next page. Kaku laughed and rubbed the back of his head.

"Next, Lucci and Kaku need to get jobs at the Galley-La company."

"That should be easy enough," said Hattori, while Lucci crossed his arms in thought.

"Seriously, we haven't _actually_ started our mission yet," said Kaku, shivering, "you _really_ don't have to do that."

Lucci shrugged in response.

"From there on," continued Kalifa, "we'll look for Pluton's blueprints. Once we find them, quit your jobs one by one. We don't want to appear too suspicious. The order should be me, Kaku, Lucci, and finally Blueno, as he owns the rendez-vous point. The finder of the blueprints leaves a note with Blueno, and we'll meet up as soon as possible. We'll call for a Marine ship, and then we'll get out of here. And that should be it," finished Kalifa, closing the booklet and tossing it into the fire. "Alright then. We need to get going. Remember, Kaku, Lucci, do not submit your job applications until I give you the 'ok'."

"Roger that," said Kaku, tipping his hat.

"And Blueno," she proceeded, "as soon as we're out these doors, you're open for business. Got that?"

"Yes Ma'am," said Blueno, cleaning her glass.

"Good luck. Let's go," she said, pushing the door open.

Blueno set the glass back in the cupboard, and walked to the door. Hanging on the upper glass pane was a small, white sign. Blueno was scared. He knew it was all for a good cause, but he was scared. If something went wrong, the entire mission would have been for nothing. But if succesful, it would be the most pivotal assignment of his career. So keeping that in mind, he flipped the sign, and proclaimed Blueno's Bar: Open.

* * *

A.N.: It's been a long time since the last birthday, huh? I feel like we don't get enough back story from any of the One Piece characters (except for the main ones) so that's why I'm here. It's nice to able to imagine what CP9 was feeling when they first started their mission. It must have felt like a huge endeavour.

This chapter kind of reflected a guest review I got a few days back. Here it is: "i can't wait for marco and zoro but i sadly won't get my hopes, its hard to make stories up so constantly. i love this series and i'm impressed with your skill as you've gone this far so far".

Now, I don't know how many of you realize it, but doing this is _very _difficult. Not only does it take extreme amounts of preparation, but I need to constantly stick to a schedule to ensure I get everything done on time. Writing does not like sticking to schedules. Inspiration comes and goes like the spring breeze. But in doing this, not only am I improving myself as a writer, I am improving myself as a person. It's a bit difficult to explain, but no matter where this anthology of one-shots/drabbles goes, please know that I _fully_ intend on finishing it, up until Gol D. Roger's birthday on December 31st. So please do not lose hope!

Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you on the 22nd for Captain Kuro!


	41. Apr 22- Captain Kuro

Kuro was bitter. He'd had a particularly quiet week, and that wasn't like him at all. Although he detested the 'rowdy pirate' stereotype, he himself hadn't shed blood in what seamt like ages. Sure, they'd encountered a few marines here and there, but it was never enough. He wanted to come up with a scheme; something that would fool even the most brilliant of thinkers. Something that would propel him into the halls of pirate fame.

A news coo flew over him in a gust, dropping a package into his lap. He was looking over the headline, and then, it came to him. A plan so complex, so intricate that not even the famed Benn Beckman could have come up with it.

"Set off for Syrup Village!" boomed Kuro, throwing his cape over his shoulder and setting off to the front of the boat.

'Miss Kaya, huh? Well this is gonna be one hell of a ride, that's for sure.'

* * *

A.N.: I somewhat hate this character. He's so shallow behind those deep plans of his. Oh well. I promised drabbles with this fic, and I might as well deliver them, right? Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you tomorrow for Kalifa!


	42. Apr 23- Kalifa

Kalifa was having the most fun she'd had in ages.

"And that's another strike!" she cried, running up and down the aisle with her hand out. Most of her partners slapped her hand. Kaku slapped it twice for Lucci, seeing as he was still in rotten shape. But Jabra crossed his arms and glared at her.

"Absolutely not! You're cheating!"

Kalifa giggled.

"It's called using your resources to your advantage," she stated, and slapped Jabra's cheek instead.

"Well I say it's not fair!" responded Jabra, rubbing his cheek, "How come the manager isn't noticing all the soap bubbles everywhere?"

"Oh I'm sure he's noticing," said Kaku, unwrapping Lucci's bandages, "he's just too scared to ask."

Lucci began swatting at Kaku.

"I told you, I can do that myself," he snarled.

"Oh really?" said Kaku, raising an eyebrow and stepped aside, "Alright then, kitty-cat. Go ahead."

Lucci sniffed and began fumbling with the bandages.

"Oh come on, Jabra!" said Kalifa, tightening up her shoelaces, "Lighten up a bit! It's my birthday after all! I haven't celebrated like this is forever!"

"Fine," Jabra grunted, "but I'll have you know that next time, you won't get _any_ special treatment from me!"

Fukuro laughed, but after a quick glare from Kalifa, he zipped his mouth shut.

"For the birthday girl," said Blueno, setting down a margarita on Kalifa's table.

"Thank you, Blueno!" said Kalifa, sipping from the drink. It tasted divine. CP9 wasn't allowed to drink for the fear of intoxication perventing them from engaging in their missions. But Kalifa had tried a margarita once at one of the big Galley-La parties, and hadn't forgotten them since.

"For the rest of you, scotch, and for Lucci, water."

Lucci groaned. His face was covered in shreds of bandage, and he felt humiliated. That damned Straw Hat…

"Here," said Kaku, sighing exasperatedly. He plucked off bits of bandage and unrolled a new strip. Applying some rubbing alcohol, he then wrapped the strip around Lucci's head several times before fastening it with a clip.

"Better," said Luci begrudgingly.

Kalifa's turn came once more, and she stepped up to the lane. Aiming carefully, she reached her arm back before shooting the ball forward. As soon as the ball left her fingertips, she realised she'd used a bit too much force. The ball slammed into the pins, but it didn't stop there. It dug into the back wall and exploded the machinery, leaving a large cloud of smoke in it's place. Kalifa turned around sheepishly to the sound of her partner's laughter.

"I don't even know what I should record that as!" cackles Kaku, his pencil hovering over the score sheet. Kumadori nearly dropped a ball on his foot, he was laughing so hard. Fukuro tried to resist it, but he unzipped his mouth and began howling. Even Lucci cracked a smile.

A small spindly man walked up to the group nervously.

"Umm… I'm very sorry," he stuttered, "but I'm going to have to ask you to leave." He finished, gulping.

"Sorry about the mess!" said Kalifa, "Is there anything we can do to help clean up?"

"No, nothing at all. Please, just go."

"Alright then," said Kalifa, picking up her margarita glass, "Can we take these with us?"

"Sure, sure…" said the man, eager to get rid of the group.

"Thank you!" said Kalifa, taking another sip. "Let's get going, guys."

The men continued to laugh, until Kalifa punched each one (save for Lucci) and dragged them out the door by their heels.

* * *

A.N.: Have I mentioned yet how much I love CP9? This story actually originated from the title page of Chapter 508 of the manga. I really loved the idea, and wanted to give it a backstory. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! But that's it! That completes the month of April! It was a fun ride, but now it's off to May. So I'll see you on May 1st for the May List of Birthdays!


	43. May 1- May List

Hey everyone! Welcome to the month of May! I can't believe we've gotten this far! In one more month, we'll be at half the year. I have a big lineup for this month so, so here it is:

May 2- Garp

May 3- Arlong

May 5- Luffy

May 6- Eneru

May 8- Shakky

May 9- Sengoku

May 13- Rayleigh and Koby

May 20- Conis

So we have our favourite Protagonist to cover, and some legendary Villains. It'll be a handful for sure! But thank you all for your support. It's been so amazing, and gives me the drive to do what I do. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! I'll see you on the 2nd for Garp!


	44. May 2- Garp

"Go, Garp!" screamed Tsuru, waving her gun at her fellow soldiers. Zephyr and Sengoku charged forward, and Garp almost fell behind. 'If only I could get this to work!' he thought, shaking out his hand. His Haki kept failing him, time and time again. He didn't have time for mistakes. In battle, it would cost him marines and that was something he couldn't afford. If he were to go up against Kosui like his superiors intended, he would be crushed if he couldn't perfect this.

"Garp! Watch it!" shouted Sengoku, leaping in front of him and punching away a pirate who had almost striked his target.

"What is wrong with you?" said Sengoku, shifting his musket onto his back.

"I'm sorry, I just—"

"You'll get killed if you keep going on like this. Get it together!"

Garp nodded at Sengoku and rushed another pirate, trying again for an Iron Fist punch. His hand felt solid when he pounded the man into the ground, but it wasn't good enough. It wasn't where it needed to be. Garp groaned and kept running. He could see a large mountain up ahead. Kong had informed the marines that this was Kosui's base. Garp looked to Tsuru for instruction. Tsuru was analyzing the situation. The mountain was too tall for them to climb, and there was no visible way to enter it. Tsuru signaled to her teammates, indicating a change in attack plan. They were aiming for stealth now. She waved them over to the base of the mountain.

"Garp, you're going for Kosui, right?"

"Yeah," said Garp, scratching the back of his head sheepishly, "Kong wants me promoted."

"Hm," said Tsuru, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, "Zephyr, Sengoku, we're taking on his subordinates. But we need to get into the mountain. Luckily, we have this." Tsuru pulled from her pocket a glowing vial. "One of the rookies has an _interesting_ devil fruit. They're trying to find a scientist to manipulate it, but for now, we have this one-use-only light bomb."

Garp scoffed.

"What's it going to do? Blind the mountain?"

"I suggest you step back and take a look for yourself," said Tsuru, aiming the vial at a weak spot in the mountain's surface. Just as a precaution, Garp took a few awat from the mountain. Tsuru threw the vial against the rock, and it exploded into a scintillant burst of yellow. When the smoke settled, Garp could see that a hole had been blasted through the thick rock, directly leading to the main chamber of Kosui's base.

"The Pika-Pika no mi is not to be underestimated," said Tsuru, calmly brushing herself off and picking her way through the rubble. 'Damn' thought Garp, following closely behing. He was weaker than a mere rookie! And said rookie wasn't even in his vicinity. Which was a good thing otherwise Garp might've strangled him for damaging his pride. But he could only grit his teeth and follow Tsuru into the room.

"Alright," said Tsuru, "I trust that you can handle the rest yourself?"

Garp nodded, and Tsuru waved his companions towards the far hallway. Garp walked down the near hallway, listening closely for any telltale signs of Kosui's powers. Suddenly, he saw golden flecks littered on the ground, identical to those retrieved from a previous investigation. 'So this is Kosui's famed 'Midas Touch', huh?' thought Garp, inspecting the small shreds of metal. Suddenly, Garp whipped around and saw a dark-haired woman reaching for his neck with her left hand. Garp jumped back, thankful for his Kenbunshoku Haki.

"So you're the famed 'Golden Kosui'?" he asked, readying himself for battle.

"I am she," replied the woman, placing her right hand on her hip. 'Interesting,' thought Garp, 'Her Devil Fruit powers only exist in one hand.'

"I'm afraid I'll have to kill you now," said Kosui, smiling, leaping towards Garp. Garp side stepped, and Kosui spun around to face him. Garp tried to activate his Busoshoku, but he failed. Kosui lunged at him, and Garp dodged once more. 'I can keep evading her, but I won't be able to land an attack on her unless I can get this to work!' Garp tried again to activate his Haki, but his hand only became spotted with black dots before returning to normal.

"Come on!" shouted Garp, aiming a punch at Kosui's head. Unfortunately, the woman was too quick, and Garp barely managed to pull away his hand before she grasped at the air in front of her.

"You won't get out of this alive, you know!" screeched Kosui, darting towards Garp. 'She's right,' thought Garp, 'The others need me to do this. I can't fail them.'

With one final effort, Garp pushed himself to the limit until finally, finally, his hand was coated in black. He wanted to scream in excitement, but refrained, knowing he would lose focus.

"You seem to have a bit of paint on your fingers, sea brat," said Kosui, "want me to make it worth something?" Kosui began swinging at Garp, and Garp caught her fist. Kosui smiled. Her powers were working. His black fist was slowly turning gold. But Garp pushed himself, and slowly his hand turned black again. He opened his fist, and caught Kosui's hand. Kosui tried to pull away from him, but he gripped her other hand, and forced her hands behind her back. He pulled out the sea stone cuffs, and chained her. Immediately, Kosui sunk to the floor, drained of her energy. Garp deactivated his Haki. He was almost sad to see it go. But now he knew he could use it.

* * *

A.N.: Funny story. Someone decided to switch around the birthdays on the wiki, and Garp ended up being a victim. I'd originally penned him down for July 6th, but found out just today that it was his real birthday. So I spent the majority of the day trying to work this out. I feel like I could have done better, but it was rushed. Just a reminder guys, don't be afraid to call me out if I forget someone important on the birthday list. That's what it's there for! In any case, Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated. See you tomorrow for Arlong!


	45. May 3- Arlong

**WARNING! Does contain strong language! Do not read if uncomfortable!**

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"Stop it Arlong!" roared Jinbei, pushing his rival against the walls. Arlong bared his teeth and pushed right back, slamming Jinbei onto the table.

"How could you?!" screamed Arlong, punching Jinbei in the stomach. While Jinbei rocked himself in pain, Arlong brought back his hand and stabbed Jinbei's Sun Pirate brand. Jinbei hissed, and pushed Arlong off.

"You don't deserve that mark!" howled Arlong, lunging for Jinbei once more, "You're no better than those fucking humans! Tiger is spinning in his grave!"

"This is what Tiger wanted!" said Jinbei, holding Arlong back with his arm, "This was his last wish!"

"Tiger didn't ask you to become a fucking Shichibukai!" cried Arlong, bringing his leg back to kick Jinbei. Jinbei blocked him, and spun him into the wall.

"Tiger didn't ask you to be the fucking government's dog!" snarled Arlong, pushing himself off the wall, and spinning to face Jinbei. He grabbed Jinbei's arm, and pinned him to the table.

"And how the hell do you know what Tiger would've wanted?" asked Jinbei, launching a punch at Arlong, which he dodged. "You've hated every single human you've met! Even Koala had to pass under your 'judgement'. Right now, I'm bringing equality to the government. I've become the first Fishman representative! We're taking steps forward."

"It's all for show," said Arlong, releasing Jinbei, "they'll make you fight for them, and as soon as they don't need you, you're dead."

"You mock me," said Jinbei, pulling himself off the table, "do you really believe that any government official could match my strength?"

"I just don't want any more fishmen to be killed by human hands," said Arlong, crossing his arms.

"And they won't," replied Jinbei, "this is why I'm doing this."

"No," said Arlong, shaking his head, "I don't trust them. Humans are lying, cheating, and conniving creatures. You can't trust a word they say."

"You're doing exactly the opposite of what Tiger wanted."

"And how the hell would _you_ know what Tiger wanted?" said Arlong mockingly.

"Because right now, you're poisoning your mind with hatred for humans. That's exactly what killed Tiger in the end."

"_Humans_ killed Tiger in the end."

"You're wrong. Tiger had the choice to accept that blood, and he didn't do it. Why? Because he couldn't. He couldn't overcome his hatred. But he wants us to."

"I'm sorry, Jinbei. I can't do that."

And with that, Arlong walked out the door, slamming it behind him.

* * *

A.N.: I decided to use some stronger language this time because I really wanted to embody Arlong's anger, frustration, and feeling of betrayal. I tried to write it clean, but it turned out to be more comical than angry. I myself am a little uncomfortable with swearing, and I assure you this won't be a regular thing. I really do like Arlong's character, because he embodies the effects of racism so early in the series. It was during the Cocoyashi Arc when I began to realize that One Piece was much more than just an anime/manga. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you on May the 5th for Straw Hat Luffy!


	46. May 5- Luffy

I woke up to the smell of meat. Well, I always wake up to the smell of meat. If Sanji's meat isn't ready, then what other reason is there to wake up? When I got out of bed, I noticed something really weird. I was in a black suit. Which made no sense, cause I _hate_ suits! It wasn't Sanji's. I tried his suit on once to play 'Name that Nakama!' with Usopp, and it was really floppy. This suit was tight, and uncomfortable. I was about to take it off when I heard Zoro groan from underneath me in his bunk

"Don't. You. Dare."

"Zoro!" I said, happy that someone else was up. Because being awake by myself is really lonely. "Why am I in a suit?" I asked him.

"It took forever to get your freaking rubber limbs in that thing, so don't you dare take it off," he snapped. I stretched my neck down to his hammock, and saw that his eyes were still closed, and he looked sweaty and tired and he had dark circles around his eyes.

"Why didn't you sleep last night?" I asked him, poking his cheek.

"Because you can get some really terrible nightmares."

"What does that mean?"

Zoro moaned.

"Let me just start from the beginning. Do you remember yesterday?"

It was around before dinnertime, and it was a lot after lunchtime. Nami says I should just look at the clock, but I like measuring time in meals. It's more fun. I was on the deck, fishing with Usopp, and I caught a really big octopus! Usopp and me went to put it in the tank, and then Nami said something about…

"A fancy outing," Zoro finished.

"Why?" I asked, stretching my neck to loom directly above his face. Zoro cracked open his eye, but he didn't scream.

"You know, that used to freak you out," I pouted. Zoro just sighed.

"Nami wants to take us out for dinner," he said, turning over on his side.

"But why?" I said again, annoyed that he didn't remember my question.

"Calender, rubber idiot," Zoro grumbled. I reached my neck to the scrap of paper hanging on the wall. Usopp made it all pretty, but I couldn't tell where any of the days were.

"May 5th," said Zoro, pulling himself out of bed. Wait a minute.

"That's my birthday!" I said, jumping out of bed.

"Luffy!" Zoro shouted, "The suit!"

I forgot about that. Apparently it got really crinkly when you moved too quick. Which I didn't like. How would I fight if I was stuck in this thing? Zoro started pressing out the kinks.

"How come Sanji gets a non-wrinkly suit?" I whined.

"Because the restaurant Nami wants to go to is already expensive," Zoro said, moving towards the closet, "and we can't afford anything nice. You'll probably destroy anyways. Plus, we knew you'd hate putting it on, so we put it on during the night. I was put on guard to make sure you didn't move too much, which was pretty much impossible. Seriously, if you're having nightmares you should talk with Chopper. He could give you sleeping pills or something. Oh! Here it is."

Zoro pulled out a red tie, and I started getting annoyed.

"Pirates shouldn't have to get dressed up!" I protested.

"Well this one does," said Zoro, finishing off the last knot. "There."

"Are you sure this is right?" I asked, looking at myself in the mirror.

"Yep," said Zoro, "now don't you want some delicious meat?"

"YES!" I shouted, running to the kitchen.

"Sanji! Meat!" I yelled, running into the kitchen.

"Luffy!" said Sanji, looking up from his pan, "Who the hell tied your tie? MARIMO!"

"What do you want, Darts?" said Zoro, scratching his head.

"What the hell is this atrocious fabric doing on our captain's neck?"

"What?"

"CAN'T YOU EVEN TIE A TIE PROPERLY?" screamed Sanji, the steak nearly lighting on fire from his flames of rage. I still don't get how he can do that.

"YOU DO IT YOURSELF THEN!" screamed Zoro, walking out of the kitchen and slamming the door behind him. Sanji groaned and started undoing the knots.

"Here," he said, looping it around my neck, and pulling the fabric taut. Yeah. That felt better.

"Can I have some meat now?" I asked, sniffing the air above the pan.

"Usually I would say no, but today's special, so…"

Sanji flipped the steak onto a plate, where it sizzled and steamed. I couldn't take it anymore. I shoved the whole thing into my mouth, and licked my fingers. It was sooo good.

"And **this** is why we don't by expensive cuts!" said Sanji, pointing at me.

"Cuts?" I asked, "Like hair cuts? Cuz Nami makes me pay a lot for those."

Sanji groaned in frustration and switched off the stove before storming out the door. I shrugged, and went outside to the deck. Nami was sunbathing, and Robin was reading a book. _They_ weren't wearing any fancy clothes. And neither was Zoro. Hm.

"Nami?" I said, trudging to her lounge chair, "Why do I have to wear this fancy stuff?"

"Didn't Zoro tell you?" she said, looking up from her magazine.

"He just gave some stupid excuse about fancy-ness," I grumbled.

"You take forever to get ready, Luffy," she responded, licking her finger and turning the page of her magazine.

"And, let's face it, you wouldn't have ever put that thing on voluntarily. Sure it cost Zoro a few winks, but I'd say it's time well spent. Sanji?" she called.

"Yes my little fluff-bunny?" said Sanji, rushing over to Nami's side.

"A martini please?" she said, and Sanji went running off into the kitchen, his eyes filled with hearts.

"I wish I could do that," I muttered, "he always complains when _I_ ask him for something."

"Well, tough."

"Here you go, Nami-Swan!" cooed Sanji, setting down a pretty glass on the table beside her.

"Thank you, Sanji-Kun," said Nami, taking a sip.

"You're most welcome, Nami-Swan!" said Sanji, prancing back to the kitchen.

"In any case Luffy," Nami continued, "We're leaving in an hour, so sit tight until then."

"Fine," I whined, padding over to the fishing stuff. I got out my favorite rod, threw some bait on the hook, and threw it over the side. All of a sudden, I felt some arms pulling the rod from my hands, and pushing me back to the center on the boat.

"That would not be a wise decision in your current attire, Captain-San," said Robin. I turned around to see her crossing her arms and smiling.

"Not you too!" I said, throwing up my arms.

"Well, our swordsman struggled an awful lot last night, and water is not going to help," she said, dragging me to the aquarium bar entrance.

"Now why don't you stay here for the meanwhile. I'll send Brook over to keep you company," she said, making sure I went down the hatch. I went down, and sat on the bench in misery. Birthdays are supposed to be fun! And everyone was just treating me like a kid.

"Hello Luffy-San!" said Brook, descending the hatch, a violin in hand.

"Brook! Play Bink's Sake please!" I asked him.

"Of course Luffy-San!"

* * *

Around right before dinnertime, Nami called us both up. She was dressed really fancy, in an orange dress and lots of jewels. We went to the deck, and saw everyone there. Even Zoro looked fancy, in a dark green suit. But he didn't have a tie on. I guess Sanji couldn't wrestle him into it. Franky was wearing pants for once in a light blue suit. Usopp and Chopper wore yellow, and Robin was in a purple dress with a lot less jewels than Nami.

"So?" asked Nami, "Are we ready to go?"

Everyone kind of just grumbled.

"Can we not?" I asked, "I want Sanji's cooking for my birthday."

Everyone cheered, but Nami gave them her death glare.

"This was a very difficult restauraunt to book, Captain. It costed an advanced payment for a reservation," she said. And as soon as she said it, I knew there was no way we were eating on the ship.

"Let's get going then," I said, "I'm hungry."

* * *

When we finally got there, we went straight in. Which I was happy about. Because I was _really_ hungry. They put us at a big table. It was too big in my opinion. I was sitting really far from everyone at the end of the table. I couldn't talk, or 'borrow' anyone's food. It was so boring! But the food was good. I guess. I mean, it wasn't as good as Sanji's.

The cheque finally came, and the waiter gave it to me. I just gave it to Nami. The waiter stared at me like I'd done something really wrong.

"Monsieur," he said, in a really funny accent, "you do not wish to pay for the meal?"

"It's my birthday!" I said, sticking my tongue out at him, "And besides, Nami doesn't give me enough allowance!"

The waiter looked pretty confused, but everyone else was laughing. He walked away quickly, and didn't look back.

"60,000 BERI?*" Nami screamed, holding the cheque in front of her. "Are you kidding me?!"

"May I see that for a second, Navigator-San?" asked Robin, making a hand on Nami's plate. Nami gave Robin the cheque, and she looked it over.

"It may have been an error. Call over the waiter."

Nami got the waiter's attention, but he looked like he didn't want to come over. Finally, she went up to him, and screamed at him a lot. And then said some words, and for some reason, Robin covered Chopper's ears.

"And we aren't paying! You got that?" she finished.

"Madame, I'm afraid you must pay. Otherwise we will call the police. As a pirate, especially that Monkey D. Luffy, you will all be jailed."

"Bring it on!" she raged, storming back to the table, "Unbelievable!" she said, sitting down. "Get ready you three," she said, pointing at me Zoro and Sanji. "This isn't going to be pretty."

* * *

The marines came when we were finishing up dessert.

"Citizens!" said a big Den-Den Mushi, "Please evacuate the building! There are dangerous criminals inside, and we do not wish for anyone to be injured!"

Everyone in the restauraunt screamed and ran out the doors.

"Before this starts," said Nami, "pillage the place. Ransack it. Steal anything you want. We're pirates aren't we?"

Everyone cheered and rushed out to meet the marines. Usopp was the first one out the door, and he shot down lots of traps at the marines' feet. Next, Nami electrocuted them, and Franky shot his laser beams. I tried to dive in, but Chopper held me back.

"Not yet, Luffy," he said, morphing into his Kung Foo Point, "it's my turn!"

He jumped into the battle while I was still saying "But it's _my_ birthday!"

Robin was stomping all the marines' to bits, and I felt kinda bad for them. I mean, Robin's powers were really cool, but she could torture people really easily. I asked her about it once, and she said 'I like to see their souls trying to slowly escape their bodies which are still trapped in existence and suffering ever so greatly'. Which made no sense. But it did sound really smart. Zoro and Sanji joined in, fighting over who could beat the most marines', and Brook sliced through rows and rows of soldiers. Meanwhile, I was still waiting at the back for my turn. I wanted my crew to have fun, but I wanted to play too.

"Alright Luffy!" said Nami, "Get 'em!"

"Hold on!" I said, "Can I?" I asked, pulling the tie.

"Fine," she sighed, "I told you he would," she said to Robin, who giggled loudly. I tore off my sleeves and pant legs, and threw off the icky dress shoes. Finally! I was free! I tore down the rest of the marines', but a lot of them got away. But it was really fun while it lasted!

"SUPER job, Luffy!" said Franky, doing his cool robot pose, "Let's get back to the SUPER Sunny-go!"

"And I'll cook you some real food!" added Sanji.

"Yes! Meat!" I shouted, running back to the Sunny as fast as I could, and everyone following close behind.

* * *

A.N.: I tried to write from first-person, because I wanted something a little different. I really like how it turned out. This one-shot was a real handful. I tried to make it extra long. I don't know how some people do it! It drains your mind a whole lot! I also tried to keep it fluffy, and very much unlike Ace's chapter. I feel like Luffy would have liked it to be lighthearted. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! I love hearing from you guys, so please tell me if you like the format or P.O.V.! See you tomorrow for Eneru!


	47. May 6- Eneru

From childhood, he was always told he was better than everyone else. And what other choice did he have but to believe it? He was God. And all others were beneath him. His very own mother had ripped his wings from his back when she became distraught over the monster she'd made. Eneru had killed her, and fashioned himself wings of his own. An iron circle attached to the small of his back replaced the wings that had marked him as a commoner. He might have thanked the woman who'd borne him, for giving him the opportunity, had he not despised her so. Days after his mother's death, the rumours spread around his island. They would point at him. Sneer at him. Throw hard clouds at him. So he killed them too, and set off to see his kingdom. He wandered this new world, a vagabond bringing death to those that opposed him. Until Gan Fall. To him, it was not concievable that someone could be more powerful then him. So as of then, he made it his goal to defeat this false god Gan Fall, and rule over Skypeia as was his right as the true God.

* * *

A.N.: Luffy drained me yesterday, so here's a short inner monologue type thing for Eneru. I wanted to shine a bit of light on why Eneru might _truly_ believe he was God. Even though I really love ALL of One Piece, I have a particular fondness for Skypiea. It brought the sea-faring Strawhats to the Land in the Sky, and just threw them so many challenges and difficult situations. It was a joy to see them overcome them. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you on the 8th for Shakky!


	48. May 8- Shakky

"Shakky!"

A voice rung out from outside Shakky's bar. Shakky threw open the doors to see a bedraggled Gloriosa, accompanied by 3 young girls.

"Gloriosa!" cried Shakky, beckoning them in. She closed the door behind them, and locked it tight. Darkness fell over the bar, and Shakky struck a match, touching it to the wicks of the few candles that surrounded the bar. The candles illuminated the room, and cast shadows over Gloriosa and the girl's faces.

"Here," said Shakky, tossing Gloriosa a blanket, "Slaves?"

"Former. There was a big attack on Mariejois. A fish man named Fisher Taiga released hundreds upon thousands of slave. These three are called Boa Hancock, Marigold, and Sandersonia."

"Sisters?"

"Yes."

"You bringing them home?"

"Going home with 'em."

Shakky gave Gloriosa a look.

"They're from Amazon Lily?" she asked, pouring 4 glasses of water.

"Mm," replied the other woman, "in fact this one's in line to be Empress," said Gloriosa pointing at the fair-skinned girl, with long black hair.

"Unbelievable," said Shakky, serving the girls their water. "Any idea how the Dragons got ahold of them?"

"Their ship was sunk, and they were abducted," said Gloriosa, taking a small sip of water.

"They branded yet?"

"Yeah. Unfortunately."

"We can get Hatchan to fix that."

"No!" said one of the girls, who had vibrant orange hair. "No more! Please…"

Shakky sighed, and held the girls hand.

"No more. I promise. But you have to be careful not to show your back to anybody."

The girl nodded, and Shakky pat her on the head.

"Are they Devil Fruit users?" asked Shakky.

"Yes. 2 Zoans, and this one's a Paramecia," she said, gesturing the dark-haired girl once more.

"Use it to their advantage," said Shakky, "a curse. Spread the rumour throughout your people. Make sure that the truth is never uncovered. Otherwise they won't be able to live normally ever again," she finished, with an intonation of warning in her voice.

"Right," said Gloriosa, shaking her head slowly. "I don't know how they'll—"

"Get through this?" Shakky cut her off, "They will, but it'll take time. Trust me, this isn't like all your other charity cases, Gloriosa."

"I know," said Gloriosa, twisting her fingers around the water glass.

"You can stay here until they're acclimated. But Shabaody is dangerous for them."

"Is Rayleigh around?"

"Yeah. But he's probably boozing and sleeping around. He doesn't come back for days at a time now."

"He misses his captain," said Gloriosa, smiling.

"Well he's got a funky way of showing it. In any case, when he _does_ come back, I'll coax him into getting you three a boat. They fit for sailing?"

"They've been fit for sailing since they were 8."

"Kuja Pirates?!" exclaimed Shakky, "At that age?"

"They're prodigies."

My, my, my. What an amazing amount of power in such little packages."

"The Kuja are very proud of them."

"I can imagine."

A knock came from the door, and a shoving sound too.

"Shakuyaku?" asked a man's voice.

"Coming!" said Shakky, rushing to the door. She opened it and saw a soaking wet Rayleigh standing outside. "Goof grief! What has the Dark King been up to?"

"Coating job gone wrong. Luckily there were no fatalities."

"I should hope not! Business would plummet otherwise!"

"I think it would be safe to say that business is already plummeting," chuckled Rayleigh, hefting off his coat and tossing it aside. Shakky picked it up, wrung it out, and hooked it on the coat rack.

"Oh," said Rayleigh, noticing Gloriosa and the girls, "Hello Gloriosa. What do we have here?

"Refugees, originally from Kuja" said Shakky, pouring Rayleigh a beer. Rayleigh smiled at them warmly, and took the green-haired girls hands into his own. But she didn't flinch. Nor scream and cry like the other refugees had. Instead, she looked at him head on, her gaze steady.

"We'll get you back home soon," said Rayleigh, "so don't worry."

* * *

A.N.: I hope you don't mind, but I had to throw in a few extra characters in there to support Shakky, since we don't know too much about her yet. But I loved the idea of Shakky being the host of a safe house for escaped slaves, and I wanted to elaborate on it. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you tomorrow for Sengoku!


	49. May 9- Sengoku

Sengoku was having a rather nasty day already. He was dealing with the aftermath of the Whitebeard War. It wasn't pretty. Thousands upon millions of letters had had to be sent to the families of his deceased soldiers. It was lowering morale. The Marines had sacrificed much in the end; perhaps too much for the reward they had reaped. Whitebeard's death had incited even more trouble in the New World, where uprisings were occuring among the remaining Yonkou over the world's strongest man's territories. Whitebeard had evidently been the most beneficial Yonkou, and many islands had been safe under his protection. Now, these islands were being terrorized and destroyed. Sengoku had had to send soldiers all over the Grand Line, and the marine divisions were spread too thin. It would only be time until the pirates found a weak link and destroyed them form the inside. All that stress was already piled on his shoulders, yet the Gorosei were still pushing him to go further. Sengoku was disgusted with them. They'd covered up the entire Impel Down issue, for the sake of the appearance of the World Government. Countless criminals were running amok all over the Grand Line, terrorizing the people, and yet they did nothing. And yet they demanded more of him. More soldiers, more protectors, more than Sengoku could afford to give them. He was done. His hair had gone white from all the stress. An old man like him could no longer support the Marines as Fleet Admiral.

Sengoku picked up the Den-Den Mushi, and began the call. The snail rang three times before someone finally picked up.

"Sengoku," said the voice on the other line. The voice was robotic, as to protect the Gorosei. So Sengoku had no clue as to whom he was talking to.

"Hello," said Sengoku.

"What is this about?"

"I've called to deliver a very important message."

"And what might that be?"

"I'm resigning in my position as Fleet Admiral."

"Is that so," said the voice, lacking all inflection.

"Yes," replied Sengoku, not regretting at all the words he'd said.

"Do you have any suggestions as to your Successor?"

"Admiral Kuzan is fit for the job."

"If we are not mistaken, isn't Kuzan's motto 'Lazy Justice'?"

"He will rise to the position when needed."

"Where will you be reassigned?"

"I am not sure yet."

"May we remind you, Sengoku, that these matters are to be discussed with the Commander-In-Chief?"

"I'll take it to him eventually."

"Why were we contacted first?"

"So I could tell you that it was your rotten, scheming, scumbagging actions that have caused the Marines to fall as greatly as they did, and I truly hope you're happy with yourselves," said Sengoku, slamming the reciever back down. He knew it was childish. He knew it was innapropriate. But he couldn't care less. The weight that had been on his shoulders vanished all at once. He felt light for the first time since Whitebeard's death.

"So you won't be bossing me around anymore?" said Garp, entering Sengoku's office.

"Not at all, my old friend," replied Sengoku, offering Garp a rice cracker.

"Too bad," said Garp, accepting the snack and chomping on it thoughtfully. "You know," said Garp, "I was thinking of making that exact same call, but you beat me to it. If I resign now, the justice system will have lost two great figures, and then what will they do?"

"Screw the justice system," said Sengoku, leaning back into his chair, "that thing is corrupted beyond repair anyways."

"Don't be like that," said Garp, crumpling up the rice cracker wrapper, and tossing it to Sengoku's goat, who muched on it happily.

"I wanted to stay you know," said Sengoku, opening up another package, "I really did. But I can't."

"What makes you think that?"

"The world has been turned upside down. Perhaps the pirates are more ethical than us after all."

"Pirates are scum, Sengoku," said Garp.

"And your grandson?"

"He's one of the very few exceptions."

"I'll bet."

* * *

A.N.: I was struggling a lot with Sengoku. I must have written this 3 times before it finally turned out like this. But I really like it. There are certain events that change everything. The Marineford War completely warped the Straw Hats, but it affected the Marines too. The adjustments that the Marines made after the War 2 years ago are still affecting the storyline today. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you on the 13th for Rayleigh and Koby!


	50. May 13- Koby and Rayleigh

_My husband is dead. My child has no father. My son did not come home. My childhood friend is gone. My father is no more. My brother is missing._

"Agh!" Koby screamed, throwing off his covers and scrambling out of bed.

"Koby!" shouted Helmeppo, rushing to his side, "Koby what's wrong!? What happened?!"

"Their voices!" Koby sobbed, "There're too many!"

Koby threw himself on the floor, is body twitching and contorting.

_My lover broke her promise to come back. My sister will never cook for me again. My aunt, whom I never met, is gone. My mother is in the ground._

"STOP!" screeched Koby, clenching his stomach and throwing his hands over his ears. "STOP IT!"

"KOBY!" said Helmeppo, shaking the crying boy, "WHAT'S WRONG!"

_My cousin is no longer. My uncle is buried under rubble. My nephew is not alive. _

"KOBY!" shouted Helmeppo, yanking the boy up by his hair and slapping him, "SNAP OUT OF IT!"

Tears ran down Koby's face, soothing the hot red marks on his cheeks. But the voices didn't stop. He couldn't get rid of them.

"A DOCTOR!" screamed Helmeppo, "SOMEBODY GET A DOCTOR!"

A nurse rushed into the room, her hair frizzy and her eyes tired. She assesed the situation, and quickly paged the healing ward's psychiatrist.

"He''ll be right here," she said, keeping her voice calm, "control him until he does."

Helmeppo nodded, restraining Koby the best he could.

_My wife lost her limbs. My teacher can no longer speak. My daughter has gone to heaven._

"Give him a sedative," said a rather elderly man, stepping into the room dressed in a white coat. His nametag read 'Doctor Reed'.

"He's gone insane," said Helmeppo, while the nurse attended to the heavily breathing Koby.

"PTSD," replied the doctor, making a note on his clipboard, "very common in soldiers, especially those who've been in wars. I've a seen a lot of it lately, too much of it actually. Medical files?"

Helmeppo rushed to Koby's bedside table, and from the drawer retrieved a thick folder, filled with documents. He handed it to , who plucked out a few pages and handed it back.

"Let's see," said , as Koby settled down, "a history of asthma, many allergies, weak bone structure, and oh! Haki?"

"Yes," responded Helmeppo, wringing his hands nervously, "after the war, he unlocked it."

"That must be it. Did he mention anything about voices?"

"Yes."

"Haki users often start off with Kenbunshoku Haki. They can percieve everything around them acutely. In the early stages, they're unable to control it, and these episodes are quite frequent. I remember Kuzan had a tough time dealing with it…" said the Doctor.

"Will he be ok though?" asked Helmeppo sweat dripping down his forehead.

"He'll be fine," replied the doctor, "but he needs to learn how to control it. I'll give you a few sedatives just in case he gets out of control."

Helmeppo took the sedatives apprehensively. Even if Koby did get out of control, Helmeppo probably wasn't going to use them. Koby hated medicine.

'I've already used enough medicine for a lifetime!' he remembered Koby saying, referring to his medical problems, 'I don't want any more!'.

Helmeppo smiled at the memory, and stored the sedative in the nightstand.

"I'll be off then," said Doctor Reed, tearing off a sheet of paper and handing it to the nurse, who had put Koby back in his bed. "Mako-San here will stand by. Just in case anything happens."

"Thank you," said Helmeppo, nodding at the nurse and doctor respectively.

* * *

Rayleigh watched him grow. Slowly but surely, his apprentice grew stronger. You could see it in the way he walked, the way he carried himself, the way others sensed him. The wild animals themselves praised him as the lord of the island. Hancock herself had noticed the change. He would forever remain a child at heart, just as his captain once was. But on the outside, he had changed. His hands were rough and hardened from the long days of labor. His legs were tense and muscular, ready to spring at the drop of a pin. His aura's colour had changed. What was before a light red was now a velvety crimson with tinges of yellow and orange. His fiery spirit raged inside him, begging to released. And Rayleigh couldn't wait to see when it did.

* * *

A.N.: I felt the need to give Koby PTSD. I don't usually go off course from canon, but this is something that I think is unavoidable. And of course, the bromance between Koby and Helmeppo is strong. So a dash of that in there too. Rayleigh's bit is short, so I think I'll either change it or add more onto it. It was a drabble I wrote a while back and tweaked. So we're almost done with the long list of May birthdays! It went by much faster then I'd thought! June is tame in comparison, so maybe I'll be able to update 'The Coffee Shop' (I know some of you are waiting patiently, so don't lose hope just yet!). As well, **I want you guys to send in your birthdays for shoutouts and maybe even OC inclusions**! I'd love to recognize everyone who supports this story, and even though I plan on doing a recognition page at the very end of this project, I felt like it would be fun to have you guys interact with the story! Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you on the 20th for Conis!


	51. May 19- Rayleigh Follow-Up

"I'm not going to die, Partner."

Roger's last words to him echoed in Rayleigh's head. Rayleigh didn't understand what they meant. Roger had been publicly executed. Roger had died, with the entire world watching him. It was a year later, and Rayleigh still couldn't make sense of his last words.

"How you doing?" asked Shakky, setting down a rust coloured drink in front of him.

"Bored."

"Retirement doesn't suit you, Dark King."

"Don't call me that."

"Yeah, yeah."

Rayleigh downed the drink in a single gulp, slamming the glass back down to the table with contempt. Maybe too much contempt. The glass shattered, sending translucent fragments everywhere. Shakky sighed and hurried to the sink, wetting a washcloth and rushing back to Rayleigh's seat.

"Relax, I've got it," said Rayleigh, depositing the larger shards in a pile on the counter.

"You're bleeding, idiot."

Rayleigh stared at the red tinted glass, the droplets leaking their way into the wood of the bar.

"It won't stain, will it?" he asked, cupping his hands together. The blood began oozing from his cuts, and pooled between his fingers.

"No," replied Shakky, handing Rayleigh the towel, and sweeping the rest of the miniscule shards out the door. Rayleigh pat his hands dry, and Shakky handed him a roll of bandages. He expertly wound the length around his hands, and tore it off with his teeth. This happened very often now. He was overly destructive without Roger to ground him. He was too reckless without his captain to guide him.

"Get out of here old man," said Shakky, tying her hair back, "I've gotta clean up before the day begins."

Rayleigh rose from his seat, and headed towards the door, throwing on his cloak and pocketing his dagger. He threw open the door, and a sharp hissing noise from behind him encouraged him to shut it more gently upon exiting the bar. He had reached the edge of Grove 13 when he heard someone shouting off the coast of the Lawless Area. He sprinted towards the source of the noise, and saw a young man on the ground, holding his head and wailing pitifully. Rayleigh became annoyed.

"Calm yourself," he uttered, concentrating his Haki into a small burst. Or, what he thought would be a small burst. The man was knocked out immediately, his toungue dangling out the side of his mouth. Rayleigh saw a patch on the man's shirt. It read 'The Botal Pirates'.

"This is who you died for, Roger!?" shouted Rayleigh, his head tilted towards the sky. "This is your great age of piracy?!"

Rayleigh was frothing at the mouth. He would've kicked the man, but he figured it was a waste of his time. He continued on his way, his hands jammed in his pockets. And then he saw it. A great black barque, the Botal Pirate's symbol emblazoned on the flag and sails. The craftsmenship was exquisite. Rayleigh could tell; the quality was worthy of the famed Water 7, where the Roger Pirate's very own Oro Jackson was created. A man who appeared to be the captain stared down at the Dark King, squinting his eyes.

"You with that traitor?" asked the captain, aiming his gun at Rayleigh.

Rayleigh laughed. This brat had some nerve.

"No. You the captain of this ship?"

"What of it?" asked the captain, raising an eyebrow.

"What of it indeed?" asked Rayleigh, appearing beside the captain, whispering in his ear. The man should've been startled, but instead he looked rather bored.

"Old man, if you're done with your antics, me and my crew need to find a coating professional."

"Old man?" asked Rayleigh, looking around him, "Me?"

"Yeah you. Get off the ship."

Rayleigh blasted him with Haki. It was immature, really. But the captain stood his ground while the lower ranks of his crew fell to the ground. A drop of sweat ran down the captain's face, but he stared Rayleigh down. Rayleigh couldn't decide if this man was immensely brave, or just an idiot. But he had withstood Haki.

"This is your age Roger?" he asked once more, tilting his head to the sky,

"This was your intent?"

"Roger?" asked the captain, "As in Gold Roger? Pirate King?"

"Gol, they've messed up your name," said Rayleigh, tears streaming down his cheeks. "I'll do it," said Rayleigh, turning to the captain.

"Do what?"

"The coating."

"For how much?"

"Free for you Rookie. But you just promise me you'll reach the New World."

"Deal," smirked the captain, and the two shook hands.

* * *

A.N.: Ah. This is much better~ I love comparing Rayleigh to Zoro. Both are extremely loyal to their captains, and would be extremely lost (quite literally in Zoro's case) without them. I adapted a bit of Zoro's personality into Rayleigh for this piece, because I figured the parallels are canon enough to satiate my canon-needs. In any case, I'm very proud of this one. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated. See you tomorrow for Conis!


	52. May 20- Conis

"Laki!" shouted Conis, reaching for her apron. She threw the opening over her head, and reached behind her to tie the garment. She always had trouble with this part.

"Conis!" exclaimed Laki, rushing into the staff room. She still held a bowl of pumpkin soup in one hand.

"Help?" said Conis bashfully, turning around. Laki undid the messy knot and tied it again, completing it with a large bowl.

"Thanks," said Conis, "sorry I'm late."

"It's fine," responded Laki, gesturing to the soup, "bring this out to the customers please. I need to finish up the appetizers."

"What table?"

"Table number 3. Those White Berets sure work up and appetite."

Conis nodded and exited the staff room. She emerged from the kitchen to the dining room of the Pumpkin Café. The room was crowded; the last shift of the day had just ended. All the workers of the island came to the Café after work; it was very popular. Conis supposed that was a good thing, but she couldn't help but wish for a break sometimes.

"Here you go," she said, setting the bowl down on the table.

"Thank you, Conis-chan!" chorused the White Beret raising his spoon in salute. Conis giggled, and returned behind the counter. _Ding!_

"Welome to the Pumpkin Café!" exclaimed Conis, turning to see her new customer, "Aisa!"

"Hi Conis!" said Aisa, hopping up on the bar stool, "Is Laki here?"

"She's out back. Can I help you with anything?"

"Oh. Well, I got free tickets to go to Rubber Band Land, and I wanted to go with Laki."

"Aisa?" asked Laki, walking out to the dining room.

"Laki!" said Aisa, waving her hand.

"I thought I'd heard my favorite cousin!" said Laki, smiling at the girl.

"Laki, Amazon gave me free guests tickets to Rubber Band Land. Do you want to go?"

Laki frowned.

"I'm afraid the Café is rather busy today. Conis?"

"Yes?"

"You're getting off your shift early today, right?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Would you like to go instead? It'll be a nice chance to relax!"

"Oh!" exclaimed Conis, her mind repeating the word 'relax' over and over again. "Well, if Aisa's ok with it…" said Conis, looking over at the Mantra user.

"Sure!" said Aisa, giving Conis a big smile.

"Well then it's settled," said Laki, "Aisa, Conis will meet you at 3:00. Is that ok?"

"That's fine," said Aisa.

"Alright. Let's get back work, shall we?"

* * *

A few hours later, Conis finally took off her apron. It'd been a tiring day, but business was finally slowing down. Laki had practically pushed Conis out the door of the kitchen, insisting she could handle everything by herself. Conis really appreciated it. It would be nice to get away from the work environment for a while.

"Here we are!" said Aisa, clambering off the waver. Conis parked the vehicle near the entrance, and followed Aisa to the ticket booth.

"Hello Aisa," said the Elderly Amazon, former gatekeeper of Skypiea.

"Have you come with your friend?" inquired the old woman.

"This is Conis," said Aisa, gesturing to the Skypiean.

"Hello Conis," said Amazon, "I suppose I'll just let you two in then. Tickets?"

Aisa handed her the ticket and her staff pass. Amazon waved them through, and called up the next customer. When Conis first walked in, she saw a life-sized statue.

"Is that Usopp?" she asked, marvelling at the long-nose.

"Yeah. Apparently."

Both squinted their eyes, trying to find the ressemblance between the chiseled abs and sharp jaw of the statue, and the weak frame and rounded face of it's model. They walked past the statue into the park's clearing. Nola, Shandora's former guardian, was a live attraction at the park.

"Are they dangling from…" asked Conis, a bit nervous to say the rest.

"Her tongue?" finished Aisa, noticing how uncomfortable the Skypiean looked, "Yup."

Indeed, the snake had been set up as a bungee jump, her long tongue grasping onto the ankles of anxiously queued children, and sending them plummeting towards the ground. One such eager child had been fastened to the snake, and was about to jump off. Conis tried to look away, but she was fixated on the sight. The chilid jumped, screaming with delight all the way down. Right before he hit the ground, Nola's elastic tongue yanked him back, ending his descent with a sharp halt. The child was still laughing as the snake unwraveled her tongue to greet her next passenger. Conis smiled. It was gratifying to see the formerly wounded souls of Skypiea rise again, and take heart in new ambitions. Aisa had noticed Conis staring at the snake.

"Do you want to try it?" she asked, tugging the other girl's arm.

"Oh no," replied Conis, shaking her head, "I simply couldn't."

"Oh but you can!" said Aisa, dragging the Skypiean towards the giant snake. Conis's eyes widened, and her heart began racing. It calmed slightly at the sight of the long line. 'I'll have some time to get ready' she thought 'psych myself up'. Aisa gave the fretting angel a mischievous grin, and showed her a white card.

"Fast Pass," said the Shandian girl, beckoning Nola over.

"This is not exactly what I had in mind when Laki said 'relax'" moaned Conis, feeling herself rise higher and higher.

* * *

A.N.: The outline for this one was rather different, until I got a little review from Wordlet, who informed me that I'd forgotten Nola's Birthday! As such, I've tried to include her at the end to compensate for missing her! Thank you, Wordlet!

It's almost halfway through the year. I still cannot believe I've gotten this far. This is the last one-shot for May. After this, we're onto June. I'm truly hoping that, due to the lack of birthdays in June, I will be able to work on 'The Coffee Shop' because I know many of you have been waiting patiently for it. So anticipate an update there!

Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! I'll see you on June 1st for the June list!


	53. Jun 1- June List

Hello everyone, and welcome to the month of June! We are halfway through the year of 2015, and still going strong! Here are our characters for June:

June 2- Chimney and Rob Lucci

June 5- Jabra

June 5- Fukuro

June 7- Perona

June 9- Surume

June 10- Rouge and Dalton

As you can see, it's a relatively short list. I've already finished around 3/4 of the stories, so I'm really hoping to work on 'The Coffee Shop' this month. So expect some updates there! I also have another project coming up, and it involves a bit of imagery! But that's all the hints I'm giving you~ Summer will be rather light in terms of birthdays. In July, we only have 6 people to cover, but then there's an astounding 23 birthdays to cover in August! So I'll be trying to get ahead while I can. So endure this dry summer period, and get ready for a wild ride in autumn!

Don't forget to tell me if I've missed anyone in this list! I'll see you tomorrow for Chimney and Rob Lucci then!


	54. Jun 2- Chimney and Rob Lucci

"What is it?" asked Chimney, her eyes wide.

"It's a cat," replied Kokoro, stroking the animal.

"Look at it, Kokoro," said Iceburg, "that's no cat. That's a bunny rabbit."

"But he has long whiskers!" said Kokoro.

"Yeah, but look these," said Iceburg, yanking on the creature's long ears, "no cat I've ever seen has ears like that."

"Nonsense!" said Kokoro, picking up the blue animal, "Have you ever seen a bunny rabbit with this colour of fur? Or a bunny rabbit that purrs?"

Indeed the animal was purring. And loudly. Chimney would later compare it often to the roar of the Puffing Tom's engine.

"But look at its tail!" said Iceburg, gesturing at the short puffy knob.

"His last owners might have docked it," said Kokoro thoughtfully.

"And attached a blue cotton ball in its stead?" said Iceburg, inspecting the fluffy knob attached to the animal's behind.

"Well, whatever it is, I like it," said Chimney holding the rabbit-cat close to her. The creature mewled and smiled happily. "Thank you for the gift, grandma!"

"Oh, you're welcome Chimney!" cooed Kokoro, stroking her grandaughter's hair. "What are you going to name him?" she asked.

"Gonbe!" said Chimney decisvely.

"But that means—"

"Guardian," said Chimney, interrupting Iceburg. "Doesn't he look menacing enough to be soldier?"

Kokoro and Iceburg could only stare at the fluffy animal, its smile wide and eyes gleaming. No. It was not in the least intimidating.

"Chimney," started Kokoro, "that's a lovely name, but wouldn't something like… Ooh, I don't know… Fluffy or Mittens be more appropriate?"

"But I think he likes it," said Chimney, stroking the rabbit-cat under his chin. "Huh, Gonbe?"

The animal perked up, and started smiling even more wide (if that was possible).

"He does like it!" exclaimed Chimney, twirling around happily, her new birthday present clutched tightly to her chest.

* * *

Lucci didn't say anything. He wanted to, but the lashings that would have followed were something he'd rather avoid. Instead, he'd just agreed quietly. With a small nod and a list of instructions from his teacher, the 6-year old assasin had set off for Kochikuni. He knew how the system worked. And he didn't mind it that much. Years ago, his grandfather had owed Cipher Pol a great favour. The organization had saved his family's noble reputation, but at the great price of the freedom of his descendants. Cipher Pol had demanded 5 generations worth of conscripts for their legions of specialized intelligence. The Rob family's aristocratic lineage would prove helpful for espionage missions. Lucci was the 3rd generation of conscripts, and he had no intention of rebelling against Cipher Pol. It was a bit unfortunate that he was missing out on his birthday, but he was working for justice. And justice was worth so much more than a birthday. It was common sense. To Lucci, who'd been training for missions since he was born, this was only natural.

Lucci arrived at Kochikuni rather quickly. The seas were clear, and the boat he was taking was hasty. The vessel was keen to arrive, wanting to sell its goods of grain and wood to the far off land of Kochikuni, where they were well desired. Lucci knew this well; it was all part of his training. He was particularly skillful at collecting valuable knowledge, and had the perfect cover to do it. No one would suspect a child, it was one of the reason Cipher Pol enlisted so many. He slipped off the boat quietly. The shipyard of Kochikuni was loud and bustling. Very much unlike Lucci's quiet and secluded hometown. It was a welcome difference.

Lucci was a well-disciplined assasin, but he could only resist the tantalizing thought of pie for so long. On his many visits to Kochikuni, the Baker's wife had always treated him with a slice. He'd helped her out once when her baked goods cart fell over, and she'd insisted on this ever since. Lucci loved her pies very much. They reminded him of his mother's, who had long passed. He couldn't resist after having that very first small bite. And so he succumbed to the flavour, dropping by the Baker's wife whene he could come around.

On this such mission, it just so happened that his route swung by the bakery. In reality, he went out of his way to visit the shop. He entered the store, and the bell on the door rung cheerily.

"Hello Joe," said Lucci, greeting the Baker.

"Hello Claudius," replied the Baker. Lucci felt slightly bad for lying to the couple, but for Cipher Pol's sake, he had to keep his identity under wraps.

"Is Maria in today?" asked Lucci. Joe sighed.

"Maria's struggling with Gattori," responded Joe.

"Gattori?" asked Lucci.

Suddenly, a white dove flew out of the kitchen entrance, and onto Lucci's hat.

"Come back here!" yelled Maria, stomping angrily out of the kitchen. "Oh! Claudius!" said Maria, noticing Lucci, "I'm so sorry. This rascal must be bothering you."

Maria approached Gattori, who was now scratching at Lucci's shoulder. She grabbed the bird with two hands, and tried to yank her off Lucci's shoulder. But the dove stayed put. Maria sighed and put her hands on her hips.

"Sorry Claudius, but do you mind just keeping her there for a second?"

At seeing how frazzled the usually calm and gentle woman looked, Lucci agreed.

"My niece's bird Fattori had chicks, and we agreed to adopt this stubborn gal," said Maria, "but I'm afraid we can't handle her for much longer. Birds don't belong in bakeries. Say, she looks like she likes you!"

"You think?" asked Lucci. Gattori nuzzled him and then nipped him gently.

"Why don't you keep her? It's your birthday afterall!"

Had Lucci told Maria his birthday? How had that happened? In any case, it was a breach of conduct.

"Oh come on!" said Maria, smiling at Lucci, "You can't see it?"

Lucci snapped back to Gattori. Indeed, the bird seemed attached. But somehow, Lucci didn't mind. Her presence was soothing. Like the comfort blanket he had been denied as an infant, Cipher Pol not wanting him to become 'soft'.

"If it's alright with you…" said Lucci tentatively.

"It's alright with us! Isn't it, Joe?" said Maria, nudging her husband.

"Absolutely," said Joe, reaching into the oven and retrieving one of Maria's pies. Lucci's sensitive nose went nuts. He could practically taste the rasberry filling, and the smooth crust. Maria probably saw it too, as she cut him a slice, and served it to him on one of the 'good' plates.

"Thank you for the food," said Lucci, breaking off a piece of pie crust and giving it to Gattori before indulging himself.

* * *

A.N.: Chimney was a lasting debate on what I should do. I ended up with this, which is something constantly debated in the Water 7 arc. It's her character to be pretty uncaring though, and not really take a side (even though it's canon that she recognized Gonbe as a cat now). I like portraying bad guys as children. Because as a child, you're still naïve, and open to everyone. Even Lucci, who is so hardened by CP9 still must have had some childhood innocence at one point, right? Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you on the 5th for Jabra!


	55. Jun 5- Jabra

Gatherine was perfect. Jabra felt insanely lucky to be with her. She was funny, charismatic, ambitious, and gorgeous. Jabra had met the waitress on his way back from a particularly bad mission. It hadn't turned out too well; they'd lost more than half of their agents. Jabra, feeling depressed, was sulking in Enies Lobby's cafeteria. Gatherine had been observing him, and introduced herself as his waitress for the night. There weren't many other customers, so Gatherine talked with Jabra quite a bit. Eventually they fell in love, and that brings us to today. Their two week anniversary. Some argued that it was too short a time to really know, but Jabra felt as if this was the woman he wanted to marry someday. It was a simple gut feeling.

Gatherine had prepared them a picnic for Jabra's birthday. They planned on eating in the cafeteria, where they had first met. Jabra put on a final spritz of cologne before walking out the door confidently. When he finally arrived at the cafeteria, Gatherine had already set up, and was waiting for him.

"Hi sweetheart!" said Gatherine, sauntering over to greet Jabra.

"Hello snookums," replied Jabra, taking ahold of her waist and tugging her closer to him. Gatherine began giggling infectiously. She led him to their table, and they sat down. They had the typical 'How was your day?' and 'Who did you kill on your last mission?' before coming to the subject of Jabra's teammates.

"So their names are?" asked Gatherine, leaning forward intently.

"Well, I work mainly with Fukuro and Kumadori," said Jabra, "but our other division in Water 7 is composed of Lucci, Kaku, Blueno, and Kalifa."

"Kalifa?" asked Gatherine, trying to hide it, but looking desperately jealous.

"Yeah, she's an ugly old hag," said Jabra, to comfort his sweet Gatherine. Even though he thought exactly the opposite of the seductive secretary.

"Oh. Well then," said Gatherine, giving him a small smile, "who would you say is the strongest on your team, other than yourself of course?"

"Hmm… I'd have to say Lucci. He's obviously nowhere on my level, but he's quite the talented Rokushiki user. Plus, he has a leopard Zoan Devil Fruit, so I guess that boosts him up too. "

"Ooh. What does he look like?" asked Gatherine.

Jabra thought of the man's groomed goatee, and crazy eyebrows. Oh, and that stupid bird who's on his shoulder all the time.

"He looks like the head of a mafia gang," said Jabra, "like in those book you're always reading."

Gatherine's eyes lit up.

"Does he wear a top hat?" she asked, "Or have a dove on his shoulder all the time?"

"Yeah, that sounds like him," said Jabra, "Why?"

"Oh, he's a regular. Comes into the cafeteria every month for my special tuna dish."

"Does he now?"

"Yeah. He's rather attractive, isn't he?"

"Sure…"

"Does he have a girlfriend?" asked Gatherine.

"Not that I know of," said Jabra, "Why?"

"Do you want me to set him up with someone?"

"Like who?"

"Like me."

Jabra's world stopped.

"Like, you? Or someone else like you?" he stuttered out.

"Like, me," said Gatherine, twirling her hair with one finger.

"Are you breaking up with me?!" asked Jabra.

"Yeah," said Gatherine, packing up the picnic.

"On my birthday?!"

"Yeah. Do you have a problem with it?"

"Well, obviously! You're leaving me for someone who will _never_ love you back."

"And how would you know that?!"

"Lucci is a monster, Gatherine. He will kill everyone around him without a moment's thought."

"Oh whatever. You just don't like him because he's stronger than you."

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"

"See, this is why I'm breaking up with you. You're too controling!"

"I AM NOT!" shouted Jabra. He knew he sounded like a child, but this was _Gatherine. The woman of his dreams. HIS SOULMATE._

"YOU'LL BE SORRY!" Jabra bellowed, "HE'LL NEVER LOVE YOU BACK!"

"WE'LL SEE ABOUT THAT!"

* * *

A.N.: This turned out... To be interesting. Again, throwing villains into a vulnerable situation and helping my audience sympathize with them is a common theme in this collection of fics. Reading from the antagonist's viewpoint can be unpleasant for many people, so I try to manipulate the enemy into a good (or pitiful) light. But I can imagine this one being over dramatic or over exaggerated to the point of comedy, much like a telenovela. It's not my usual style, but I hope you enjoyed it nevertheless! Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! (I mean it, guys! Send in your birthdays and requests!) See you tomorrow for Fukuro!


	56. Jun 6- Fukuro

It hurt so badly that he started to cry. He tried opening his mouth to start wailing, but found that it was glued shut. No. _Zipped shut_. It hurt, it hurt, it hurt. Sure enough his intructor had gone through on her word.

* * *

"Fukuro," she'd asked him, "why are you so noisy?"

At the time, Fukuro didn't think he was that noisy. He just liked to talk.

"Fukuro," she'd said, "you need to be quiet."

But he was quiet. He'd mastered the art of silence. His every cell worked constantly to ensure that he could move without being heard. It was quite impressive actually, considering his size and stature. He was completely unheard to the ears of even the most trained assasins.

"Fukuro," she'd told him, "if that big mouth of yours causes CP9 any trouble, any trouble at all, I will have a zipper sewn in its place. Do you understand me?"

Fukuro had laughed it off, with a quick 'Chapapa' and a hop skip away from her.

* * *

She'd done it. She'd really done it. He'd suffered a major infraction on his latest mission, and had spilled a highly confidential file's contents to the enemy. He'd gotten back, and as soon as his report was reviewed, the surgery was issued. He didn't think she'd actually go through with it. He really didn't. He sat up in his hospital bed, wondering. Was he worth this much? Why didn't they just kill him? Instead of taking the most precious thing in the world to him: his speech. He raised his hand to his mouth, gingerly tapping the teeth in this metal chain now attached to his face. His fingers traveled delicately to the left side of his mouth, where he encountered a metal tab connected to a slider. He wanted to pull on it, but stopped, afraid.

"Go ahead," said his instructor, stepping into the room. Fukuro became enraged at the sight of her. He had about a million different profanities, ready to be launched at her, but when he tried executing them, it hurt. It hurt, it hurt, it hurt.

"Go on," she said, sitting down at his bedside, "unzip it."

Fukuro touched the tab tentatively, and began pulling it. It made a clicking sound as it traveled from one end to the other. It hurt all the way through, but his mouth was finally open. He found though, that he had nothing to say. His head was exploding with questions and accusations, but he couldn't voice any of them. He could only sit there, his mouth gaping.

"How does it feel?" asked his instructor, giving him a starting point to focus on. She understood how he felt. Not by personal experience, of course. She'd done this to several of her students now. But right after the surgery, she knew, their minds are always swimming. So a question, even to the chattiest of her students, was a good place to start.

"It hurts," said Fukuro, the zipper's teeth grating on each other as he spoke.

It always hurts. His instructor knew this as well. It was to discourage them from trying to speak anymore. Their chatty nature would appear back in adulthood, as they became accustomed to the devices, but for now, she had silenced him.

* * *

A.N.: More 'baby' CP9 on my part for you guys. Lots of CP9 birthdays this month, which I am thoroughly enjoying. I loved the Enies Lobby arc to death. With Fukuro, taking into consideration his nature, I found this piece to be easier than that of Lucci's. He's a very clear-cut character, and I tried to go more in depth with him. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! I'll see you tomorrow for Perona!


	57. Jun 7- Perona

It had all begun with a notice in the newspaper. It wasn't delivered often, so the notice came in late. But Perona so desperately wanted to go.

"Come on!" she said, tugging at Mihawk's sleeve.

"No, absolutely not," replied the swordsman, brushing her off and taking another sip of his wine.

"But it's my birthday!" protested Perona, feeling entitled to at least a little bit of pampering. It was still difficult for the ghost princess to get used to the fact that she had to do things without servants. There weren't any other living beings on the island, and Mihawk forbade her from enslaving the Humandrills. The entire pack would come after her if one of their own disappeared at her hand. So she did things herself. She was independent enough, but then Mihawk expected her to take care of the castle too? In and out, all day, she worked away, cooking and cleaning for two of the most careless men she's ever known. That direction-less, green-haired idiot got injured every other day. They must've wasted millions of rolls of bandages by now just trying to keep up with the amount of blood he lost on a daily basis. Perona was always the one to nurse him back to health, and as such had to endure all his complaining. Really, how had the Straw Hats endured this insufferable bastard's whining? To make matters worse, Mihawk was the biggest slob Perona had ever met! The gloomy misty atmosphere of Kuraigana that Perona so loved was absolutely ruined by his ripped t-shirts strewn all over the castle floors, and the trails of wine rings and spills left on every table he passed by. Perona couldn't stand it!

"I do everything around here by myself!" Perona said, confident she could get the Shichubukai to submit, "Don't I deserve a day off?"

"No one asked you to be our personal maid/nurse," said Mihawk, examining the advertisement critically.

"What do you want me do?!" she yelled, "Let that Marimo bleed to death?! Let your rotten laundry stink up the hallways?!"

"The concert's in Turek?" asked Mihawk, lifting his eyebrows, "As in Turek, the home of Feuryu, master blacksmith?"

"Sure?" said Perona, not recognizing the name, but hoping that this was enticing enough to the swordsman to bring her there.

"Fine," said Mihawk, without a trace of opposition, "I'll take you."

"Yes!" cried Perona, floating into the air happily.

* * *

2 days later, the pair were setting off for Turek. Zoro had been injured a few days back, and was still recovering, so neither Perona nor Mihawk was worried about him getting into trouble. Perona had left the younger swordsman several sandwiches to eat, and a cooler of beer to drink (which she knew she shouldn't have, but it was the only thing that could keep him content to stay put and resting). They planned to go early, to beat the crowd. As well, Mihawk wanted to visit Feuryu's forge before the concert. The concert they were attending? That of the world famous Soul King. Perona was a die-hard fan of his music. She had all of his posters and had even specially ordered Tone Dials to record his songs over the radio. It had been announced a few days before that a concert would be held in Turek, and Perona was extremely glad she got ahold of tickets before the sales cut-off date.

To simply know that she was breathing the same air as the Soul King was exhilirating. Mihawk had run off to his little blacksmith friends, leaving Perona to find the venue by herself. She didn't have any trouble at all. The concert hall was a large, grey castle bursting with noise. Perona freaked out at first. Had she missed the concert? Did she mess up the time schedule? She ran up to the ticket booth as quickly as she could, and arrived panting and out of breath. She handed the clerk her ticket, and the man stepped out of the booth.

"Right this way, madame Perona," said the clerk, gesturing to a red door. Perona found this to be unusual, but went with him anyways. 'It's not like he could hurt me anyways,' she thought, 'I'm way more powerful than him.'

The clerk led her down a dark hallway, and the two finally stopped in front of a pair of large, dark wooden doors.

"The King has been expecting you," said the clerk, tapping the door 4 times quickly, and then 4 times slowly. The doors creaked open, and the clerk gestured for Perona to enter. Perona stepped into the room, which was equally as dark as the hallway she'd been in before. Suddenly, something burst into flames, illuminating the entire room. Perona squinted as her eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness. When her vision settled, she saw a dark chair in the center of the room, its back facing her (Everything in this castle just had to be so goddamned dark, huh?). A tall man rose from the chair, and turned to face her.

"BROOK?"

The world-famous 'Soul King', who Perona admired so, was one of those STRAW HATS?!

"Yohohoho!" exclaimed the skeleton, "So it is you! I'd heard rumours that you were staying in Kuraigana, but I hadn't expected them to be true! Thank you for finding her!" he said to the clerk. The clerk bowed, and left the two to talk.

"What do you want?" asked Perona, nervously. She wasn't sure how their powers would interact. Brook was… Perhaps her spiritual counterpart in terms of Devil Fruit powers. She was the ghost princess, and he was the soul king. In technical terms, he was a departed soul who was still on this earth, a ghost per say, which would fall under Perona's umbrella of control. But she couldn't be sure if it would turn out that way, and she didn't want to find out.

"Only to talk," said Brook, extending his hand to her, and gesturing for her to come around. Perona crossed to the front of the chair that the skeleton had been sitting in, and saw there was an identical one across from it. She took a seat on the edge of the chair, still guarded.

"Rumours state that Mihawk took Zoro under his wing," asked Brook, "is this true?"

"What's in it for me?"

"A song-request when I perform and professional tapes of original studio recordings."

Perona couldn't resist. As despicable as the Straw Hats may be, she still loved Soul King's music.

"Zoro's fine," Perona said with a sigh, "he's training under Mihawk's eyes, not his wing. The Shichibukai doesn't stay often around the castle."

"What's his mental state?"

"Idiotic," the reply came automatically out of Perona's mouth, "but in all honesty, he understands what your captain is asking of you guys."

"That's a relief," said Brook. The skeleton had no skin, muscles, or blood. Nothing

to betray his emotions. But by the tone of his voice, Perona could tell that she had lifted a weight off his shoulders.

"Why are you doing this?" asked Perona.

"I need to make sure," said Brook, "that everyone is alright. That everyone received Luffy's message. My job permits me to do so, for that I am thankful. I only have a few more of them to check up on, and some I might not even be able to catch."

Perona thought of the elusive Nico Robin, and how noone had heard anything about the mysterious assasin for months now.

"But I'm trying," said Brook. Perona detected a sense of longing in the Soul King's voice. It made sense. The skeleton had been alone for so long, and to be ripped apart suddenly from his new crewmates… That had to be tough.

"Thank you for coming to see me," said Brook, "now about that song request?"

"Bink's Sake…" said Perona, looking down and smiling.

"Indeed…" said Brook, rising from his seat, "Here."

The skeleton handed Perona VIP tickets to his concert.

"Aside from all this 3D2Y trouble, please enjoy the concert."

"I will. Thank you very much."

"You are most welcome. By the way, may I see your panties?"

Perona smacked the skeleton upside the head with her umbrella.

"Not a chance in the world, death-breath," she said, marching out the door.

* * *

A.N.: This one was fun. It was based off the cover of chapter 788. I loved the idea so much, and wanted to elaborate on it. It twisted and turned a little bit to accommodate, but I just wanted to write out how these two characters might have met. I think the Ghost Princess is an all-around favourite, and one of the more memorable characters from Thriller Bark. I loved that Oda decided to bring her back, and introduce her as she is now. It's thrilling to see that post-timeskip change in characters besides the Straw Hats. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! I'll see you on the 9th for Surume!


	58. Jun 9- Surume

It was an ordinary day when it happened. Kraken was just swimming along, enjoying a walk on the ocean floor. All of a sudden, he saw his friend, the giant whale swim by. He opened his mouth to say hello, when something swam into his open jaws, and got lodged in his throat. And he had to say, it was most uncomfortable. The objet kept wriggling and tickling him. Kraken tried to swallow, but it just wouldn't go down. The Kraken began getting angry. He was terribly frustrated. He thrashed around, unable to get rid of this annoyance inside of him. Finally, he calmed down, and started thinking. If he ate something else, maybe it would push the object down? So he attacked pirate ship after pirate ship, emptying the crew down into his gullet, but with no luck. At this point, he became furious. Why wouldn't it dislodge?!

* * *

Surume was scared. Here was his friend, his companion, his saviour, encouraging him to defend the Neptune family. And on the other side… His owner. Who beat him and hurt him, and would hurt his family too if he didn't obey.

"KILL HER!" screamed his owner, pointing at the mermaid princess, "OR YOUR BROTHER WILL DIE TODAY!"

Surume was scared. He started squeezing the mermaid princess. She screamed. He was hurting her. But her brother…

"Surume!" said his friend. Surume turned to him. His friend was smiling.

"I'll protect your family," said his friend, "but please don't kill Yowahoshi."

Surume looked at his friend. His friend was so strong. His friend could do so much. He won't kill the mermaid princess, because his friend will protect his family.

* * *

At the end, they had to get rid of the umibozu. It was Surume's job. And he would do it well. He would carry the umibozu all the way to the ends of the sea. Even if it meant he would be carrying him for the rest of his life. Because his friend made him a deal. And his friend kept that deal. So now it was Surume's turn to keep the deal.

* * *

A.N.: I kept hitting a block with Surume. He's such an expressive character, and a huge link in the story, but he's an odd perspective to write from. I kept restarting and restarting until I came up with this. 3 P. of the beginning, middle, and end of each arc. They're a bit scattered, but I hope it just adds to the effect. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you tomorrow for Portgas D. Rouge and Dalton!


	59. Jun 10- Rouge and Dalton

"Hello there," said a man, walking up to Rouge's flower stall.

"Hello!" said Rouge cheerily, "What can I do for you today?"

"Do you have any black-stained crysanthemums for sale?" asked the man.

The pirate's funeral flower. Tucked in the dead man's breast pocket as he was sent out to sea in a burning boat. It was completely unconventional. People thought it was horrid of pirates to desecrate the sacred white Marine's crysanthemums with ink. But Rouge thought it was interesting.

"I'll have to make them. May I ask…?" she said, tentatively, while pulling out her materials.

"One of my Nakama died today."

Nakama. This man was most definitely a pirate. The marines would use the word 'crew', 'men', 'soldiers', maybe 'brother' if they were in the same squadron. But the word 'Nakama', in its most true definiton… This was something exclusive to pirates. It was considered taboo, actually. In this age, piracy was looked down upon. But Rouge craved it so. To be free, living life as she pleased, and to be close with the blue ocean she was in love with… What a life…

"Cause of death?" she asked the man, dipping her paintbrush into the dark ink.

"A shot to the heart," replied the man, tapping the area with his index finger. Rouge nodded. Pirates symbolised the cause of death with the flower. Broken limbs would mean dyeing the stems. Infections would mean speckling the petals. A shot to the heart…

"The petals around the stamen then?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Rouge began painting the middle of the flower black. It was difficult work, especially on chrysanthemums, which had many, many petals. But Rouge was quick, and her hand was steady. She finished it off with a flourish, and hung the flower upside down, to let the excess ink drip out. Not that there would be much. She'd become skilled at telling how much was truly needed.

"He was an old friend of mine," said the man. Rouge studied him. His eyes were warm and gentle, and he had a kind smile. He had a large presence to him. Rouge guessed that if he were to sit at a table filled with Kings and Queens unannounced, he could still dominate the gathering without uttering a single word*.

"I'd known him since birth," he continued, leaning on the stall. Rouge couldn't read his expression.

"Were you close?" she asked.

"People mistook me for him all the time," said the man, with a melancholy smile.

"You sound very much alike," said Rouge, holding her hands in her lap.

"We were. But now there's a difference. He's dead."

Rouge could not figure out what was going on in this man's head. Who seemed as if it might implode with just one more word. When Rouge thought back to this day, as she would for the years to come, she would remember the man as an embodiement of the sea. Soothing, yet uncontrolably wild.

The man didn't wander off while the flower dried. He stayed there. Waiting. Rouge and him sat in comfortable silence. Until Rouge noticed that the chrysanthemum had stopped dripping ink. She untied the flower, and gave it to the man, who tucked it in his own breast pocket.

"I have died today," said the man, looking Rouge in the eye. His brown orbs were blazing with passion, but Rouge, for whatever reason, did not feel frightened in the slightest.

"I have died today," repeated the man, his voice slow and composed, "this man who swore he would never love has been shot in the heart by her glory. Gol D. Roger is dead. Gol D. Roger is unburdened today wanting nothing more than to be with her glory. The glory that is yours."

'Yours'? Rouge's?

"So shine your glory upon me, and please grace me with your presence at dinner tonight," he said, tipping his hat and bowing to her.

'What a Casanova,' thought Rouge, but she said 'yes' anyways…

* * *

Dalton was extremely proud. The Lapins had been newly appointed the official peacekeeping troops of the Sakura Kingdom. They still had to be trained, but everyone had come a long way from the Wapol Age. Dalton was a brave man, but sometimes he faltered as the king. He never wanted to make mistakes, and ended up doing nothing at all. It wasn't that he lacked the courage to do anything; he just was scared of it turning out terrible. But while Dalton seemed to think he wasn't doing much right, everyone else disagreed. Kureha especially. Dalton was perhaps the best thing that had happened to the (formerly) Drum Kingdom. Dalton's reign was a wise and sensible one. The king decline the witch's offer to stay at 'her' castle, instead preferring the worn homes in the village. He was truly a man on the people. He heard their needs, and delivered to them what they desired. Dalton felt as if he owed Drum Kingdom a favour, for not standing up for them when it mattered most. But now that he could, he would be doing all he can to make up for it.

* * *

A.N.: I'm especially proud of Rouge's because of the little details thrown in here and there. And I got to be a little OOC with Roger, who has always been a solid character to work with. It was nice writing him softer; it's one of the reasons I love writing Coffee Shop so much. Rouge is a pretty liberating character to begin with, since she has just enough set details to be a good model, but not so much that it's constricting. So I had fun working with her. Dalton was more difficult. Characterization had to be more solid, and I haven't watched the Drum Kingdom Arc in a while, so I hope this was accurate. I wanted the shots to play off of each other a little bit. So Rouge's was situational, and Dalton's was reflective. The best of both worlds in a sense. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated!

This will officially cap off our June birthdays! Isn't that insane? It seems like it will be forever before I post again! But not to worry, our next birthday on the 3rd of July features Nami! As well, I'll be posting the list in advance so you guys can tell me if I missed anyone. I'll be working a lot for the next 20 days or so to be caught up with August/September birthdays. As well, I'm graduating this month, so please don't expect too much of "Eyeliner, Tangerines, and many other things" or "The Coffee Shop" for the next 2 weeks. July will definitely be busier in those departments though. August, will be a whirlwind (like seriously, there are 33 birthdays to do). But June will be pretty relaxed, so I apologize for that!

*Paraphrased from "The Maelstrom", Book 4 of the Tapestry series


	60. Jul 1- July List

Well here we are! Not quite July yet (for those of you reading in the future, it's actually June 13th), but I am posting the list today because I need to get started on these one-shots! I'm determined to get ahead before (as I mention constantly) the busy months of August and September. Remember folks, these lists are for you all to call me out on, and make sure that I haven't missed anyone important! So please PM me or leave me a Review to let me know if I've forgotten somebody! Without further ado, here's the July list:

Jul 3- Nami and Neptune

Jul 8- Paulie

Jul 15- Corazon

Jul 16- Helmeppo

As you can see, we're going to have a relatively relaxed month of July. But during this month, along with catching up for August and September, I'll be posting more for ETM, The Coffee Shop, and I might even start a new project! So anticipate those things from me in the next few weeks! I'll see you on July 3rd then, for Cat Burglar Nami!


	61. Jul 3- Nami and Neptune

The bell on the door of the bookstore chimed as a small, 4 and ¾ year old girl stepped in.

"Welcome!" said Terewah, the owner. He walked to the doorway to greet his newest customer, but found no one there. Nami had already snuck to the side shelves, where the reference guides were. Terewah scratched his head and returned to the checkout counter. Nami crept towards her favorite section; navigation. She'd visited the store many times before, and loved it dearly. Bellemère knew the owner well. Both of the girls had been homeschooled all their life. This was where Bellemère picked up their paper-thin textbooks. But Nami always lusted over the forbidden books. The gold trim, leather back, red stitched books. The Atlases. One of the many things that Bellemère could and would never afford. Nami did not want to think of a life where she could never have these precious things. And she would stop at nothing to get them. Which is why, for the first time ever, she was going to steal something.

Her small fingers trailed over the spine of the Atlas. She brushed over the gold lettering, and traveled to the cover. She lifted the leather to reveal binded parchment underneath. She shivered in excitement. The book was on a music stand, so she had to be careful. If she made even a single noise, Terewah would hear her, and it would all be over. Her other hand's index finger snuck under the book, lifting the back off the stand. She added finger after finger until all 4 of her digits were underneath the book. She pressed her thumb to the cover, and lifted the atlas slowly off the stand. She bit her lip. It was heavy. She'd gotten the book halfway off when the stand shifted and gave a whining squeal. Nami froze. She shut her eyes tight, regretting this entire expedition. She waited for what seemed like an eternity, but Terewah did not appear at the end of the aisle. She allowed herself to breathe, and continued lifting the atlas off the stand. She'd finally achieved her goal. The Atlas was resting against her stomach, under her shirt. Nami could feel the bulk of the book, and gold trim pressing into her skin. Her heart began to beat rapidly as she realized what she was about to do. The book

But just as she began padding towards the entrance of the store, the bell chimed. Nami cursed under her breath (something that Bellemère always did, but scolded her for doing). Two people would be more difficult to evade.

"Ah!" she heard Terewah say, "Welcome, Bellmère!"

"Hello Tenki-san!" said Bellemère, using the shop owner's nickname. "The girls are going to start on weather and climate this month, do you have anything for that?"

"Maybe something in the navigation section?"

Nami swore once more. She edged to the side of a bookshelf that divided the navigation row from the biology section. She strained her ears trying to here something, anything. There was no sign of the two adults approaching. She couldn't hear their footsteps, their breaths, nothing. She was panicking. 'Breathe' she said to herself, inhaling. As Terewah and Bellemère reached the end of the aisle, Nami snuck around into the Biology row. This was perfect. The two adults were talking at the back, giving Nami a good chance to sneak out before they noticed her.

As Bellemère and Terewah chatted happily, Nami crept towards the door. What was she going to do about the bell? Ringing randomly once was weird enough. But twice in less than half and hour? She would get caught for sure. Nami thought about it. She could try crawling out the open window. But… It faced the main street. It would seem awfully suspicious in broad daylight to any passerby. She could wait for another customer to enter the shop. But... they would see her running out and they might tell Terewah. Besides, the store was not visited often. It wouldn't surprise Nami if Bellemère was Terewah's only customer today. No, she had to do it herself. She spotted some cloth lying near the entrance. 'A dampener!' she thought, giving herself a mental pat on the back. She could wedge the cloth between the bell's mouth and clapper. It was foolproof. She set the atlas down in the window display carefully. Tip-toeing to one of the bookshelves, she picked up the stool which leaned against it. As silently as possible, she brought the stool to the doorway, and stepped up onto it. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the fabric strip. She wrapped it around her thumb several times, to achieve the same shape as the clapper. Satisfied, she slipped the fabric off her finger and tucked the clapper into the cloth. It fit in snugly. Nami tensed herself, preparing for retribution if this somehow went terribly wrong. She pushed the bell forward, and then let go. The bell swung back, and Nami winced, expecting it to chime. But it made no sound until it slowly swayed to a stop.

Nami smiled deviantly, and stepped off the stool. She brought the stool back to the bookcase where she'd found it, and then inched towards the window display to retrieve her prize. She slipped the Atlas under he shirt, and with one hand, grasped the door knob. She opened the door slowly, grinning as she saw her device working perfectly. And then, the door grated onto the floor, making a deafening screech. Nami's heart dropped to her stomach.

"Nami?" called Bellemère behind Nami. Nami turned to see her mother's head poked out from around a bookshelf. She waved and smiled sheepishly, desperately wishing that she could just slip out of this entire situation.

"What are you doing here, rascal?" said Bellmère, smiling widely at the girl. The guilt began to seep in. Nami felt sick, like her insides were slowly spilling out of her.

"Ah…Just looking around!" said Nami, praying that Bellemère would take the bribe. But her mother was no fool. Bellemère had been a marine for years. Even the slightest lie would not escape her. Her smile turned sour.

"Nami," said Bellemère, keeping her tone sugar sweet. "Come over here and help me pick out some textbooks."

"No thanks," said Nami, faking a yawn, "I think I'm just going to head home and take a nap."

"Oh but you love navigation, don't you?" exclaimed Bellemère, walking towards her guilty looking daughter. "Come now, it'll only take a second!"

"I really don't feel like it," said Nami, her words strained and tense. Her eyes darted between her steadily approaching mother and the main street. But even if she did run outside, Bellemère wouldn't hesitate to make a scene. Nami weighed her options carefully. She finally decided the play the part of the 'poor, little, brat starved for attention'.

"I DIDN'T MEAN TO!" wept Nami, dropping the Atlas onto the floor, and running over to Bellemère. She clasped her mother's leg, sobbing into her jeans.

"BRAT!" yelled Bellemère, ripping Nami off her leg, and holding her up by her shirt collar. "Why are the youngest always the most troublesome? Nojiko was never like this when she was your age!"

"B-b-but," cried Nami, "N-nojiko is Nojiko. And N-nami is Nami!"

Nami broke into more tears, the drops staining the front of her shirt and falling onto the wood floor. Terewah rushed over to Bellemère.

"What happened?" he asked, worriedly.

"This little thief just tried to steal one of your atlases!" said Bellemère, pinching Nami's cheek. Terewah picked up the Atlas that Nami had dropped.

"Is this true?" he asked, brushing off the cover.

"Y-yes…" said Nami, sniffling.

"Why would you do something like this?" asked Terewah, frowning.

"I-I j-just wanted to learn about the world," cried Nami.

"Oh Nami," said Terewah, shaking his head. "There are so many other ways to learn about the world. You don't need to steal things."

"Don't worry, Tenki-san," said Bellemère, "I'll teach her how the world works. You're grounded young lady. And no dinner for you tonight!"

Nami turned towards Terewah, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Now, now Bellemère," said Terewah, "there's no need to punish her so severely. As dishonest as her actions were, they were in the pursuit of knowledge. This is something I can understand well."

Nami widened her eyes, trying to push for that little glimmer of hopefulness that usually sealed the deal. Terewah noticed, and smiled at her. Nami gave him a small smile back. Deal sealed.

"Tell you what," said Terewah to Nami. "I'll lend you this book for now, and when you're done with it, you can just give it back to me."

"Really?" said Nami, her mouth forming a little 'o'.

"Really," said Terewah, patting her on the head. "But you have to be a good girl and listen to mommy, ok?"

"Ok!" said Nami cheerfully, "Thank you!"

"No problem," said Terewah, giving her the book. Nami clutched the atlas to her chest, feeling comforted by its weight. Success.

As soon as they stepped out the door, Bellemère gave Nami a knock to the head.

"I saw right through that y'know," said Bellemère, kissing Nami where she'd hit her. "If you're going to do something like that, at least go all the way."

"I'd like to see you conjure up some fake tears," said Nami. The girl turned around to stick her tongue out at her mother before racing up the hill.

"Why you!" exclaimed Bellemère, chasing after her.

* * *

It is not something that is easy to forget. Neptune remembers it well, against his will. The first time he experienced that type of hatred was not a pleasant memory for him. It was something that he never wished for his children, and something that drew him so much to his wife and queen. It happened when he was only 8 years old.

"You Majesty?" asked Neptune, stepping into the King's court.

"It is time for you to place judgement," said his father, gesturing to a large steel cage placed at the center of the room. A man stood inside. He was a human, which was extremely strange. How had a human gotten to the very bottom of the ocean?

"This man," said his father, "has committed a great crime. You are to assess the gravity of his actions, and sentence him accordingly. This will be a daily occurrence when you are king, and I am training you for such a thing right now."

Neptune nodded. He was young, but his father was old. In 8 more years, his father would be too old to rule the kingdom, and the responsibility would fall to Neptune.

"What crime has this man committed, Your Majesty?" asked Neptune.

"He has kidnapped and sold several of our people above land as slaves. He is what one would call a _."

Neptune could not contain his horror. In a civilised world, where Fishmen were recognized by the world government as an entire race, how could this be happening?

"You're usin' some fancy lingo for a fish-brain!" exclaimed the prisoner suddenly.

Neptune felt confused. He felt belittled. He felt angry. He wondered what this feeling was called.

"Yeah I sold some of you suckers," continued the man, "what about it? Gonna punch me up? Gonna kill me? I'd like to see you try, fish-tail."

Was that an insult? It was… Factually correct. Neptune was indeed a coelacanth-tailed merman. But the way he said it. The condescendence that dripped from his mouth. It sounded so poisonous. As if Neptune has done something wrong, simply by exsisting. It hurt. It made him mad.

"Come 'ere," said the man, beckoning Neptune with his finger, and forming a fist with his other hand, "I'll show you how the superior race does things."

The man was stretching his words. Superior became 'suuupeeeriooor'. Things became 'thaaangs'. Neptune had heard of this. Regional drawls and accents. He loved hearing these different voices over the tone dials. But this man's voice… It was nothing like the long and then clipped voices he heard in media. This was harsh, and rude. Neptune hated it. He _hated_ it.

"Don't let him affect you," said the King, "make your judgement."

Neptune was fair. He was righteous, and he knew what punishment the man deserved.

"Death by injection, Your Majesty," said Neptune, staring the prisoner in the eye.

"Is this your final judgement, my son?" asked the King.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Very well then. Judgement has been indicted. Neptune, you will handle the execution details at 3:00 with the Minister of the Right. Dismissed."

Neptune nodded, and began exiting the door.

"That's it huh?" said the prisoner, "Gonna kill me off like a bunch of barbarians? I was right about y'all. You're nothin' but stupid, fucking fish brains! Fish brains with fish scales, and that's all you'll ever be!"

Neptune froze. He turned around to face the man, his eyes blazing

"You, who have sold living beings' lives, have the nerve to call _us_ barbaric?!"

"Neptune, calm yourself," said his father.

"My apologies, Your Majesty," said Neptune, breathing deeply and continuing. "We are being _completely_ benevolent towards you and offering you a quick and painless death. Would you prefer to be tortured for the rest of your life? In which case, I would not hesitate to change my judgement. You are the epitome of evil, and yet we are allowing you to escape this world you've tainted without a single scratch. It is _you_ who is barbaric, and saying otherwise would be an entire lie."

Neptune now knew that feeling as 'racism'. It was something he detested, but something he couldn't help but add on to. He wished for a day when this strand of hatred would be abolished, it could not come too soon.

* * *

A.N.: I got really carried away with this. Haha. I just love Nami too much. I didn't even realize how long this was until I uploaded it to my document manager. There are just so many things about Nami that make her amazing, one of which is her amazing development as a character. She used to be so greedy. Harsh. Selfish. Now look at her. She's level-headed, calm, and so kind. She still has her flaws, but she's scumbled them into her, so that they aren't as bold and bright as they used to be. She shows that with perseverance, and a goal, anyone can improve for the better. I struggle with that sometimes, so I admire her a lot for that. In any case, please note that the rest of my one-shots might not be this long(^w^) I hope you enjoyed it though! Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! See you on the 8th for Paulie!

P.S. Somehow, I messed up the Neptune's birthdate, so I added it in. So sorry for the mistake! I'll be more careful in the future. Anyways, I love how One Piece covers racism. It's such a taboo subject, but it has to be discussed. I wanted to throw my own little thing in there. I hope you enjoyed!


	62. Jul 8- Paulie

Kami, he was in _so_ much trouble. Iceburg was going to _kill _him when he got back. "Come back here, brat!" screamed the man chasing him. Paulie could escape him, of course. The man was slow, fat, and foreign to Water 7. But everyone in town recognized him as Iceburg's apprentice. It didn't help that he was wearing his 'Galley-La' jacket either. They'd find him, and they'd kill him (if Iceburg didn't get to it first that is).

Why did he do this to himself? He'd gone cold turkey for 14 days, and he just _had_ to succumb at the last second. He had tried to justify it with himself. 'It's my birthday today. I can do what I want. Poker isn't gambling anyways. Poker's just a card game… That you play with money. Yeah, no, I'm an addicted idiot'. Day after day now, debt collectors were chasing after him. They'd even threatened to call the police. This meant nothing, since Galley-La was the unspoken law enforcement group of Water 7. But what scared Paulie was the fact that they were mad enough to even resort to that option. Jailing him would mean running the risk of never receiving Paulie's debt money. And to those cash-hungry sharks, that was an almost inconceivable concept.

Paulie raced down an old alleyway, stumbling over a discarded pop can, but catching himself before he fell. Garbage littered the street. Ripped paper was strewn everywhere, and food remanants were rotting in piles along the walls. It was disgusting. But it was the perfect hiding place. Those snooty debt-collectors wouldn't venture _near_ this dump. Paulie picked his way through the trash, and hid behind two large garbage bags.

"Where'd he go?!" he heard one of the men squawk.

"Damnit, let's split up," said the other. "I'll go down this alley, you keep lookin'."

Paulie swore. The hell were these guys willing to pick through this junk to get to him?

"Right, meet you at Galley-La in one hour."

Paulie could hear one of the men getting closer. A sound like wood hitting flesh revertebrated against the buildings. Like a slugger getting ready to swing his next home run. A baseball bat... He was a hired thug. Typical. The debt-collectors couldn't get their hands dirty, after all. It was sick, really. A couple thousand Beri, and they were after him like hounds? They could easily swindle the next guy and get twice as much... Paulie felt sick. Kami, he was terrible. Blaming his addiction on debt collectors was not the way to fix things. He had to make things right. He'd work a double shift at Galley-La if that were what it would take. He would be a new man. He could hear the thug picking through the discarded potato peels.

Paulie was about to save him some time and step out of the shadows when suddenly, a new voice rung through the alley.

"May I help you, sir?" rung a soft but clear baritone. Iceburg. Paulie could recognize that man's orders and directions from across a shipyard.

"Uh… Yeah," said the Thug. "I'm lookin' for a guy with blonde hair, goggles—"

"In a Galley-La uniform?" asked Iceburg.

"Yeah! How'd you know?"

Iceburg sighed.

"That would be my apprentice, Paulie. He's gotten himself into trouble again, I see."

Paulie pouted. He wasn't _always_ getting into trouble. Every other week was _hardly_ what he would call 'trouble'… There he went again! Making excuses for himself! Kami, he was pathetic!

"In any case," continued Iceburg, "I'll ensure the money is delivered to you straight out of his salary."

"Uh… Thanks, man?" said the thug. Paulie wrinkled his nose. The man was talking to freaking _president_ of the Galley-La Company. He could have a _little_ bit of respect for the man who practically _re-invented _the basic caravel design.

"No worries," said Iceburg. "Please have one of your employers contact me at Galley-La headquarters. Tell them to ask for Iceburg."

"Come out from there, Paulie,"

Paulie froze. His head peeked over the pile of trash bags, and he saw that the thug had left. Paulie emerged from his hiding place, bowing his head in shame.

"Firstly, shame on you," said Iceburg. "I had a surprise birthday party planned and everything. Secondly, did you hear me? This is all coming out of _your_ paycheck. And thirdly, how can you stand this smell?"

Paulie shrugged. He'd grown up on the streets of Water 7. It was gross, but he was used to it.

"Remind me to give a large donation to our street-cleaning organization later today," said Iceburg.

Paulie gave him a small smile, still too embarassed to say a word.

"Paulie," sighed Iceburg, "one of these days, I'm not going to save you. You need to nip this little problem of yours in the bud. Otherwise gambling will lead you to theft, and Kami knows I can't help you then."

Paulie nodded, but it didn't register with him. 'One day' was so vague. Was it tomorrow, or 5 years from now? Paulie could try, but how long would it be before he learnt his lesson for good?

* * *

A.N.: Ah, Galley-La. Love 'em. They're as quirky as CP9. And sometimes just as destructive~ I feel like Water 7 was _huge_ for interesting personalities and whimsical characters. There was such an abundance of them being thrown at us. Dissecting Paulie was interesting. I thought about what angle of his personality to show him in, and just as I show bad guys as being good, I wanted to see how a bad guy could be evil. One Piece holds a lot of perspective to it. Playing around with those perspectives, and manipulating characters into different settings; that's what makes my job really fun~ Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! I'll see you on the 15th for Corazon A.K.A. Donquixote Rosinante.


	63. Jul 15- Donquixote Rocinante

"I don't want to…" Rocinante muttered.

"Why not?!" questioned his older brother, indignant and disgusted.

"Because… Well, because she'd be so mad at us. We'd desecrate her name if we did something like this…"

Doflamingo sniffed.

"So what?" he asked, raising his eyebrow. "She was my mother too you know. And she's dead, she won't care. Are you going to start crying about it? Look at me. _I'm _not in tears."

"Well I'm not you," Rocinante said, crossing his arms.

"Are you just going to stop living because your mother is dead?" asked Doflamingo.

"I'd like to…" Rocinante murmurred.

"Shut up!" Doflamingo said suddenly. He grabbed his brother by his shoulders and began shaking him. "You don't mean that! TELL ME YOU DON'T MEAN THAT!"

"I don't mean it!" exclaimed Rocinante, frozen. This seemed to pacify his brother. Doffy retracted his arms and hung them by his sides. "I don't mean it," Roci repeated for good measure.

"Well then," said Doffy, his eyes widening behind those thick, black sunglasses of his. His mouth curving into a wry smile. "Let's do it!"

"This is horrible," Rocinante said. He was referring both to his brother's unsteady mind and their current situation.

"No, it's a reward," Doffy justified.

"For what? What have I done to deserve this?"

"Endured YEARS of pain and cruelty, that's what! If you're not going, I'll go by myself.

Doffy swung the door open and walked outside. The door began closing, squeaking and screeching on it's way. Rocinante hesitated. The door was about to close completely when a ratty brown shoe lodged itself in the gap between the frame.

"Well?" asked the voice connected to the foot. "Are you coming, Roci?"

Rocinante gave in, and slipped through the gap. Doffy led the way, knowing best where the shop was. Roci didn't like going out into town that much. It frightened him. His scars, his cuts, his bruises. They all ached upon seeing a scowl on a woman's face. A rock in a child's hand. A sharp knife held out in front of a man's torso.

Roci jumped when Doffy grabbed his hand.

"You've always been the weaker one, you know that?" said Doffy. Roci nodded, his eyes downcast. "Don't let them scare you." Doffy asserted.

"I can't." said Roci, his fingers pressed deeply into his brother's palm. "I can't be like you." Doffy whistled in appreciation.

"Don't we both know it?" said his older brother, stopping in front of the glass window. Roci looked up. The shop looked like a gingerbread house. It was built with brown brick, and had a slanting green rooftop. White curved metal adorned the edges of the roof, bearing a likeness to sugar frosting. It had been long since Roci had seen, much less tasted, a gingerbread house. But he could still remember the large palaces and elegant mansions he'd seen built with cookies. The master bakers of Marie Joie were indeed worthy of their titles. How Roci would have loved to have a gingerbread house for his birthday. Alas, July was most definitely _not_ the season for it.

Doffy opened the door, and stepped into the quaint little shop. Roci followed, and was hit immediately with the scent of sugar. And not the fruity kind that he and Doffy would be lucky to come across. No, this was pure sugar, used for baking purposes. The kind Roci would pour into his palm and lick off his fingers. The kind that came in small packets that would be poured into bitter coffees. The kind that made his nannies and maids groan at the prospect of having to put him and his brother to bed.

"You like?" said his brother, grinning at him. Roci frowned. It was wrong what they were about to do. Very, very wrong.

"Let's go back," Roci pleaded, "this is horrible."

"Coward," said Doffy, meaning every syllable he uttered. Rocinante felt cold.

"I'm going home…" said Rocinante, dragging his feet back outside. His brother shrugged, and began browsing the aisles of cakes and pastries.

Rocinante felt another chill run up and down his spine. He began walking, increasing his pace with each step. Someone was watching him. His injuries began pulsing. His muscles tightened and twisted until Roci was sure they'd been tied into knots. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted him. His watcher. Dressed in all black. A knife in his hand. Rocinante swallowed and began jogging. He had to go home, he had to go home. Shit. What road was he on again? Doffy knew the way. Why hadn't he stayed with Doffy? He looked back. His pursuer was catching up. He couldn't stop now. He ran as fast as he could, ducking into alleyways, and running into large crowds. He looked back once more. He'd lost his follower. But he was lost himself, now.

A hand closed around his wrist, and Roci panicked, jerking away.

"It's me."

Rocinante turned to see his brother, toting a pink and white bag.

"Let's go home," said Doffy, curling his fingers into Roci's palm.

"You bought something," said Roci.

"Yeah," said Doffy.

"I thought you were going to steal something."

"Shut up. I'm going without breakfast this week. I hope you like muffins."

Doffy broke away from Roci to open the bag. Doffy pulled out a golden muffin, and gave the bag to Roci. Roci folded it carefully and placed it in his back pocket. It was a beautiful thing. His mother would have loved it. Doffy then pressed the muffin into Roci's hand. Roci ripped a chunk off of the muffin, and passed it to Doffy, who shrugged and popped it into his mouth. Roci cupped the muffin and bit into it. It was warm, and buttery. The bread was filled with nuts and raisins, and it was so, so sweet. And it smelled so, so good.

The brothers shared them muffin while they walked home. It _was_ supposed to be Roci's birthday present, but Roci insisted that Doffy had some too. They finished the muffin, and walked home together, hand-in-hand, in a comfortable silence.

* * *

A.N.: *Sigh* I'd really like to think that Doffy was super protective of Roci, but we all know _that_ reality… I thought I'd give 'em a little moment though. I am _really_ curious as to the Donquixote brother's past. But as the Dressrosa Arc comes to an end, I realized that it's probably not going to happen. So I kinda did my thing and elaborated ^u^ Hope you enjoyed! **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated!** I'll see you tomorrow for Helmeppo!


	64. Jul 16- Helmeppo

"I don't want it," pouted Helmeppo, sticking out his fleshy lower lip. Unbelievable. It was his 10th _birthday_. His _only _10th birthday. And they'd gotten him a stupid mutt?

"But Meppo, sweetie," pleaded his mother, "look how cute he is!"

Helmeppo stared at the dog. Stupid mutt. It was ugly. And dumb. He didn't like it at all.

"Helmeppo, son," said his father, "that's no ordinary dog. That's a wolf!"

Helmeppo glanced over at the dog once more. Stupid wolf. It was ugly. And dumb. He didn't like it at all.

"NO!" screeched Helmeppo. "It's stupid, and ugly, and I don't want it! I wanted a real rifle for my birthday! Not this ball of slobber!"

"IDIOT!" his father roared. "Do you know how hard it was to find this thing?!"

"Well I don't want it!" screamed Helmeppo, crossing his arms.

"Sweetie," said his mother, "when I was your age, I had a wolf pup."

"Don't care!" sneered Helmeppo.

"Please listen dearest," pleaded his mother. "That wolf protected me through thick and thin. And this one will too."

The wolf scrambled forwards to sit at Helmeppo's feet. He licked Helmeppo's shoes, stopping only to grin up at him, tongue lolling from his mouth.

"GROSS!" Helmeppo shrieked. "Walter! Clean it!"

The poor butler scurried towards the kitchen, and brought back a clean towel. He knelt at Helmeppo's feet, and wiped off the wolf's drool.

"Bad wolf!" Helmeppo scolded the animal. The wolf whined and lay down at Helmeppo's feet. Helmeppo jumped back. He grimaced when he saw the tufts of fur that had stuck to his socks.

"WALTER!" screeched Helmeppo. The butler was once more at Helmeppo's feet, plucking off the clumps one by one.

"See?!" exclaimed Helmeppo, gesturing to his feet. "Look how messy this thing is!"

"I've had enough of your ungrateful, pathetic ass!" screamed Morgan, who had completely lost his patience. How could his offspring be so spoilt? It was undoubtedly his mother's fault. He was _always_ cleaning up her messes. "You _WILL_ obey me, and you _WILL _train this wolf. IS THAT CLEAR?!"

"Yes sir…" muttered Helmeppo. He was trying to look indiferrent, but Morgan could tell he was scared. Good. A proper marine should fear his commander, and bow down to their every order. Morgan had let his wife soften their son for much too long. It was about time Helmeppo was conditioned for life in the Navy!

"Well dearest?" asked Helmeppo's mother, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving Morgan a withering glare. "What are you going to name him?"

"Do I _have_ to name it?" whined Helmeppo, still upset over being made to tolerate this disgusting animal.

"Yes," said his father, narrowing his eyes. His tone was low and dangerous.

"Fine…" Helmeppo mumbled. His eyes wandered to the thick novel on his bedside table. It was turned upside down, and fairly hard to see. He squinted until he could just barely make out the title. "What about… Soro?"

"That's a lovely name, Meppo," smiled his mother.

"Uh-huh," muttered his father, utterly unimpressed.

"Alright," began his mother, "we'll go off to get his collar made. While we're gone, you two can get to know each other. Have fun, Meppo!"

"Sure…" mumbled Helmeppo, crossing his arms. As soon as his parents left the room, he picked up the book and realised that he'd absolutely _butchered_ the title.

"Zorro," he groaned, "not Soro. Zorro would've been so much cooler! Stupid Soro..."

The wolf licked his hand. Helmeppo wrinkled his nose, and called for a moist towelette. Walter rushed to his aid, wiping his hands off and drying them.

"I guess that means you like the name Soro then," said Helmeppo, narrowing his eyes at his new pet. "Fine. Have it your way."

* * *

A.N.: To be honest, this is nowhere near the level I wanted it to be at. I created the concept, but I felt like I could have gone deeper. This one is pretty shallow in my opinion. In any case, I hope it's alright.** Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated!**

Are we at the end of the July birthdays already? Wow. That's not too impressive, considering there were only 5 of them (haha) but that means we're entering the 2nd half of the year. For some reason, Eiichiro Oda and his readers have an _obsession_ with fall birthdays, and I will be writing around 50 one-shots and drabbles for the next 3 months (half of which are in August). As such, I will probably be very busy. I know a lot of you are antsy for a ETM update, and some of you are still hanging on to TCS. And I honestly have no clue when I'll be able to afford to tear myself away from HBOP to write on those. Chapter concepts and outlines have been written for both of those stories, so I do have a plan. I just don't know when I'll be able to act on it. I thank you all for being so patient with me and understanding. I'll be posting the August list sometime this week, so please anticipate that and call me out if I missed someone or mixed up a birthday. Thank you all once more for your patience and support (^-^)


	65. Aug 1- August List

Alright folks, welcome to the busy month of August! Let me tell you, this is gonna be a whirlwind! I'm going to be swamped, so please accept this apology in advance if I don't reply to all my Reviews as I usually do~! Now, here's the list:

Aug 2- Yasopp

Aug 3- Blackbeard/ Inazuma

Aug 5- Gaimon

Aug 7- Bellamy/ Kaku

Aug 8- Buggy/Hacchan

Aug 9- Wapol/ Vegapunk

Aug 10- Urouge/ Fujitora/ Gedatsu

Aug 11- Duval

Aug 15- Bon Kurei

Aug 16- Sakazuki

Aug 18- Wiper

Aug 22- Vander Decken IX

Aug 27- Monet

Aug 28- Hannayabal

Aug 30- Dadan

Aug 31- Cavendish

We have quite a few birthdays as you can tell. Oda double stacks birthdays to no end, and we even have a triple stack for the 10th! In total, I have 23 one-shots/drabbles to do. Which, of course, will be preventing me from updating many of my other stories. It pains me deeply... I hate to start something without finishing it. However 'Happy Birthday, One Piece' is my top priority right now since it requires a consistent schedule and lots of pre-planning. I honestly don't know when I'm going to be able to catch a break (haha). But hopefully, I can get all my one-shots written, proof-read, and prepared by September/ October? With fingers crossed~ Wish me luck!


	66. Aug 2- Yasopp

"Yasopp! Yasopp!" shouted his neighbour, rapping on the door, "They're calling for you!"

Yasopp groaned. Honestly, what could be so important that they needed him _right now_? He had just sat down to have tea with his lovely wife, and he felt quite upset that they were being interrupted! After all, he'd just returned from a long and strenuous hunting journey. He had been looking forward to living peacefully for a few months before setting out again.

"Get your butt out here, Yasopp!" his neighbour called once more. Yasopp turned his head slowly to look at Banchina. His wife smiled softly, and nodded at him to go ahead. How had he been so lucky? Any other woman would've forbid him to even rise from the table..

Yasopp padded over to the door, and wrenched it open.

"What?" he groaned, blinking several times in annoyance.

"Shanks. Red-Haired Shanks is looking for you."

Annoyance dissipated, and gave way to confusion.

"Red-Hair…?" Yasopp muttered, "That rising rookie from Old Roger's crew?"

"What other 'Shanks' is there?!" his neighbour shouted, exasperated.

"What does he want with me?" Yasopp asked.

"How should I know?"

"You know, one day I'm gonna kick your ass, and you'll regret being so rude to me."

"Doubt that. Now get going!"

Yasopp groaned, and retreated into his house to grab his coat.

"What is it, darling?" Banchina asked, walking over to him and placing her hands on his shoulders. Yasopp grimaced.

"Shanks the rookie pirate is looking for me," he spat. Banchina laughed.

"Well? Go meet him then!" she exclaimed, pushing him out the door. Yasopp stood at the doorway, and turned to look at his wife. Banchina grinned at him, and Yasopp held out his hand. Banchina grabbed his gun from the slot near the door, and kissed it before laying it in his palm.

"Have fun," Banchina hummed.

"I will," Yasopp hummed back, kissing his wife's hand before setting out.

* * *

Yasopp caught sight of Shanks just as he entered town square. The rookie was tall, and just as his epithet suggested, had a shock of red hair. It was a rarity in the East Blue, and carried many superstitions. Shanks was surrounded by villagers who were all clamoring to pluck a hair from his red mane. It was said that red hair was a symbol of fate and destiny. And it seemed that most in Syrup Village believed it. Shanks was laughing, and humouring the villagers, slicing strand by strand of hair from his head and tossing it into the crowd. Yassop approached the group, pushing his way into the middle.

"Alright folks," he shouted, "that's enough! Stop before the poor man goes bald!"

The Villagers muttered their dissatisfaction, but eventually the crowd thinned until only Shanks and Yasopp were standing.

"You must be Yasopp?" Shanks asked, sheathing his sword.

"Yup," Yasopp chirped.

"Pleasure," Shanks greeted him, bowing.

"A handshake would've done," Yasopp chuckled.

"It's how we did things back home," Shanks smiled, "I suppose I'm just stuck in my ways."

"Aren't we all?" Yasopp laughed.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I've called you here today," Shanks said.

"It's pricking at my mind a bit, yes," Yasopp responded.

"I need a sharpshooter in my crew, and it's to my understanding that you are the best in the East Blue."

"Not really…"

"You're too modest. But that's what you are, correct?"

"Perhaps. There's no real way to judge that."

"Don't be tricky with me now," Shanks frowned. "I _know_ you are the best, and the Pirate King's crew can only be of the best."

"Pirate King?"

"That's my goal."

"Isn't that a bit…"

"Pretentious? Vain? Dishonourable?"

"It's only been 2 years since your Captain's death."

"And I have grieved justly. Look, I want your help to achieve this goal. I am inviting you to join my crew. Come sail the seas with me! We'll see and do wonderful things, and go on fantastic adventures! What do you say?"

Yasopp frowned. Banchina...

"My wife," Yasopp ventured.

"She can come with us," Shanks proposed.

"The life of a pirate does not suit her," Yasopp snapped, thinking of her fragility and tendency to become ill.

"It is your choice in the end," Shanks said, clasping his hands in a pious position.

"Let me talk with her," Yasopp said.

"You have 3 days, after which I must set sail."

"Got it."

* * *

Yasopp waved goodbye to Banchina, who was standing on the dock waving her handkerchief about. It'd been a difficult decision, but Yasopp was glad he was leaving. The sea… It was vast. Much of it was unexplored. The idea of discovering something grand was too tempting to let slip away. Yasopp had grabbed onto it, and prayed that it would spare him of regret.

* * *

A.N.: I really like this one for reasons that escape me. I feel like I did a good job, as well as it was fun to write. I hope you all enjoyed it ^_^ R**eviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Birthdays, and Requests are welcomes and much appreciated. **See you all tomorrow for Blackbeard and Inazuma!


	67. Aug 3- Marshall D Teach and Inazuma

"Dreams will always die before your very eyes," said Teach's mother, crossing her arms. "Do not chase them, they will never come true."

There it was. Ringing across the room. His parents' constant mantra. It was quite the far cry from the enthusiastic encouragement his peers had gotten from _their_ parents. His mother was a failed opera singer, and his father a flunked engineer student. They'd met in their misery, and by some chance found each other pleasant enough to marry. Pressure from their parents had led to Teach's birth, which had not been terribly appealing to either of them in the first place. Neither of his parents doted on him, which was alright with Teach since he was pretty independant anyways.

They lived in a cold, dark house on the edge of a cliff, near the water. Some might have made the most of it, and indulged in the beautiful scenery and comforting quiet of the village below. Teach's parents on the other hand were quite determined to make Teach share in their anguish.

His parents had decided that Teach would be mundane from the moment he was born. They'd even named him 'Teacher' so he'd have no other choice in profession. They believed it was a good, ordinary, easily-attained job. Something with a respectable amount of income to keep him happy for the majority of his life.

They gave him plain clothes. Beige shirts, and green pants, nothing more. Ironically, their attempt to render their child into the background utterly failed. Teach was picked on at school for wearing the exact same thing every single day. Teach resented them for it. He'd sworn that one day, when he was older, he would rename himself something so ridiculous that the world would scream at the sound of it. He'd wear clothes so gold and ornamented they'd blind anyone who dared to look at him. He would stand out. In a good way.

But for now, he was stuck. Stuck on this little cliff in this little village that became even smaller when compared to the vast ocean that bordered it.

* * *

Inazuma had never seen anything like it before. A true paradise in the depths of hell-on-earth. Level 5.5. Newkama Land, the "Prisoners' Secret Flower Garden". For the life of him he could not understand why it was called such. The place resembled a discothèque, with not a living organism in sight but the mass of bodies gyrating on the dance floor and the stragglers wandering on the outer walls. Everyone there wore outlandish clothing (although Inazuma wasn't quite one to talk). It was surreal.

"This is what you've been working on for the past few years?" Inazuma asked Ivankov, as someone poured him a glass of wine.

"Yes!" Ivankov exclaimed, "You like?"

Inazuma wasn't quite sure how to respond. It was fantastic. But it was also terrifying. If the guards discovered this place…

"Oh don't be such a worry-wart!" Ivankov said, patting his comrade on the head. "Have some fun! I can't believe you've gotten this uptight after only a few years in hell!"

Inazuma sighed. He had endured Level 5 as a result of his membership with the Revoloutionary Army. It wasn't pleasant, but he could have gotten worse than the Freezing Hell... He couldn't help but wonder if that was indeed the case. They say prison changes you. Inazuma was curious as to if Ivankov had any noticeable changes as well. Ivankov seemed even more flamboyant if that was possible. Perhaps his time away from the strict Dragon had allowed the Okama Queen to loosen up. In any case, Inazuma far preferred him this way.

"Ivankov," Inazuma began.

"Yes, Candy Boy?" Ivankov beckoned him, taking a sip of his wine.

"Dragon…" Inazuma stated, hoping the okama would take his cue.

"Ah yes. Dragon has decided we're to stay here until he needs us. We're a very valuable asset to the Revoloutionary Army at the moment. This Secret Flower Garden isn't just a prisoner's paradise, you know."

Inazuma had no doubt. Knowing Ivankov, this place probably transformed into a communications base when he needed it to. But Dragon's actions were rather curious to Inazuma. What use could the most wanted man in the world have for a base in the most treacherous prison in the world? There was no one here who had been unjustly incarcerated. A prison break made no sense, and would've happened by now if it were the case.

"I honestly don't know what he's planning," Ivankov admitted. "That man is as slippery as a pair of brand new flip flops. He's all over the place. I can only hope someone's keeping him on a straight path without me. Probably Sa-boy. He's always had a right head, that one."

* * *

A.N: I find double birthdays so remarkable. Especially with characters who will most likely never interact. Usually when I write doubles, I write a situational, and a pondering to ensure there's no confusion for my readers. I started Blackbeard's bit as a situational, but he soon became my pondering. And I know it is because he is a fascinating character. My mind, which loves to fill in the blanks, couldn't resist propping up this man on some either very mundane, or very interesting details. How did you guys interpret it? Inazuma's piece was definitely harder to write. I had to achieve somewhat of a balance with my pieces, but both of these characters are so desperately in need of extra detailing. I struggled quite a bit, I'll admit. But I think he came out just fine in the end. **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Birthdates, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated!** I'll see you on the 5th for Gaimon!


	68. Aug 5- Gaimon

He had never anticipated anything like this. When the barrel had washed ashore, Gaimon had expected preserved food, fresh water, ship maintenance equipment, maybe even weaponry. But not… a woman. She had long Blonde hair, and was stuck in the barrel which was labeled 'Caution'. She appeared to have passed out, and Gaimon began panicking. He couldn't give anyone medical care in his state! What was he supposed to do?

All of sudden, the woman woke up. She began coughing and spluttering out sea water. Gaimon stood by her, unsure of what he should do. The woman groaned, and rolled her barrel so she was lying down, looking up at the sky. Gaimon waddled over to her side, and saw her eyes begin to focus. She was looking at him. Her eyes widened, and she smiled.

"Hi there," she murmurred. "Could you help me up?"

It had been so long since Gaimon had last spoken that he could only nod curtly before waddling to one end of her barrel, and pushing her upright. The woman grunted and flailed until she was finally standing. She turned around and breathlessly pushed a strand of hair from her face.

"Thank you so much," she said, clasping her hands and leaning forward in what seemed to be an awkward bow. "My name is Sarfunkel. And you are?"

"G-Gaimon," he stuttered, puasing to look at her. She was really very pretty.

"Huh. I never thought I'd meet another one," Sarfunkel remarked, looking Gaimon up and down.

"Another what?" Gaimon asked.

"Another Box Elf! Isn't that what you are?"

"Er.. is just the result of an accident from a few years ago."

"Oh." Sarfunkel said. She seemed slightly sad, and Gaimon felt terrible instantly.

"Well, I guess you could call me that though," he said hurriedly, "if it makes you feel better."

Sarfunkel shook her head."It doesn't really matter."

"Oh.. Ok then," Gaimon mumbled. "Um.. I was just about to have lunch. Would you like to join me?"

"Oh! That would be nice!" Sarfunkel exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

"Alright! Follow me!"

* * *

Over lunch, Gaimon learned that Sarfunkel had lost her Box Elf family at a young age and was now travelling the world trying to find them.

"It really is exhausting work," Sarfunkel complained, "I've been a stowaway on so many ships that I don't even know where I am anywhere. By the way, does this island even have a name?"

"Oh yes!" Gaimon exclaimed, always happy to discuss his precious pets. "This is the Island of Rare Animals. I'm the guardian of all these creatures."

A pig-lion strolled up to Gaimon, and began squeal-growling.

"Yes, yes," Gaimon said, pouring the animal a bowl of stew to satiate it.

"He's so cute!" Sarfunkel giggled.

"Not so cute when he's hunting…" Gaimon confessed. "It gets rather bloody."

Sarfunkel shrugged. "We all have to eat. Just 'cuz he's hungry doesn't make him any less adorable."

Gaimon liked this woman very much. She understood the animals just like he did.

"Do you mind if I stay here for a few days before heading out again?" Sarfunkel asked, petting the pig-lion.

"Not at all!" Gaimon said, glad for the company. "Take your time."

* * *

A.N.: It's a rather fluffy, cheesy tidbit, but hey, fluff isn't bad _all_ the time. This one is based off of the Chapter 620 cover. I wonder how many of you get the music reference…^_^ **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated**. I'll see you on the 7th for Bellamy and Kaku!


	69. Aug 7- Bellamy and Kaku

"Here you go, kid," said the vendor, "hot off the press."

Indeed it was. The hot metal printing used by newspapers in the area rendered the paper warm to the touch. Bellamy's fingers wrapped around the tabloid, the heat seeping into his skin. It was a welcome change from the cold this little town he lived in endured. As Bellamy sat down, he examined the headline.

**Heavenly Demon takes over Dressrosa after Riku goes on Rampage**

Immediately, Bellamy snapped to attention. Heavenly Demon? Could they mean Donquixote Doflamingo? Bellamy had always admired the man, who had risen from nothing to become one of the Shichibukai. It was an impressive feat. Bellamy peered under the headline, and indeed, a picture of the Warlord had been placed right underneath, accompanying another photo depicting King Riku of Dressrosa waving a sword. Bellamy could've sworn there was a mad glint in the old man's eyes. The pictures were captioned **'Riku couldn't take the poverty, Doflamingo dead-bent on fixing up the country their own king wounded.' **Bellamy moved on to the main article.

**2 Days ago, insanity struck King Riku of Dressrosa, who announced to his citizens that he needed 10 Billion Beri immediately for an unknown reason. "He sounded so desperate!" said M. Renard (names have been changed to protect the privacy of these citizens) "We couldn't help but believe him!". This is the case of many citizens. According to several accounts, the King was on his hands and knees begging his citizens for the money. It is now believed by investigators that the King could no longer take the extreme poverty, and was plotting to run away with the cash.**

"COWARD!" Bellamy spat, reacting to the last line. He couldn't believe someone was capable of such a thing! Where was his honour, his dignity? The King had masqueraded all these years on a monk-like image… It was about time his true self was revealed. "You deserved it," Bellamy muttered, trying to find where he had left off.

**When his citizens failed to produce the Beri has rapidly as he wished, the King went insane with anger, taking to his army and striking down those who could not pay. Several main officers and figures in the Dressrosian army were present. However, it seems that Dressrosa's main commander was nowhere to be found. When asked, citizens informed reporters that Dressrosa had no main commander instated at the time of the attack. Police are investigating further into this matter.**

Bellamy raised his eyebrows. Dressrosa had no use for an army in the first place. It was surprising that they even had one, much less the position for a main commander. Especially as the position was… Empty? It didn't make much sense…

**"****It was a big flash of light!" said , "Our saviours emerged from it!". It seems that, admist the chaos, Warlord Donquixote Doflamingo —**

Bellamy whooped and cheered, waving his newspaper in the air. Several passerbys stared at him, but he didn't care. They could think what they want. A great thing had gone down this week, and Bellamy was excited for it.

**Warlord Donquixote Doflamingo's three subordinates, Pica, Trebol, and Diamante jumped into action, fending off the rampaging king and his army. According to many witnesses, the heroes defended the citizens, going through many lengths to protect them. "Diamante-sama protected me from a wicked attack!" said Q. Faeregine, who claims one of the soldiers attempted to stab her through the neck. Q. Faeregine insists that Diamante rushed to her aid, blocking the attacker using his cape. **

Bellamy grinned. It sounded like Diamante. The man was heroic and flashy. He was his favourite of all the Card Chairs.

**Now, Dressrosa requires a new king, and many of its residents are petiotioning for Donquixote Doflamingo to take the throne. It is unknown wether or not the Heavenly Demon even ****_wishes_**** to take upon the reins of this kingdom. Updates will come in the regularly scheduled paper. Details are on page 10.**

Bellamy leaned back, gazing up at the cloudy gray sky that _plagued_ the North Blue. Something wonderful was happening in the New World, and Bellamy wanted part in it. He wanted to see what would happen next. He wanted to _be there_ when it happened next. He was sick of this small town. He was destined for greater things, he just knew it. And Doflamingo… Doflamingo would be the key to these things. All he had to do was prove himself.

* * *

Kaku was exhausted. Proud, but exhausted all the same. The last show they'd done was a roaring success, and former CP9 was now traveling from zoo to zoo on tour. It had been terribly hard picking themselves back up after their fall at Enies Lobby. They had been lucky enough to land jobs at a local zoo in town, performing circus acts for an audience. It was quite exhilirating in Kaku's opinion. And although, Lucci claimed it was 'only till they got back on their feet' and 'only till they got enough money to destroy Spandam', Kaku knew that the cat was enjoying himself. Kaku never used to see Lucci smile. The leopard was as stoic as they came. But now even the cold, heartless, monster of an agent had melted into nothing but a harmless house cat. He was a favourite with the little ones especially. The children _loved_ Lucci, and Kaku was proud to say he was second. Jabra took a begrudging 3rd whilst Fukuro, Blueno and the others were tied at dead last (to which none of them complained or cared of.)

Their traveling circus was, needless to say, a large success. Kaku felt extremely lucky. He thought about what that swordsman, Zoro, had said when he'd defeated him. It was rather ironic. Though Kaku hadn't ended up working at a zoo, a circus was a pretty close second. He supposed the Straw Hat crew member had a strong sense of intuition.

Kaku didn't miss much about Cipher Pol. For one thing, he was allowed to have the weekends off. Of course, there was always that crippling reminder that he'd wasted 5 years of his life on an endeavour that ended as a failure. But he could always drink away his sorrows (another perk that members of Cipher Pol had been denied).

Kaku wasn't unhappy with his life. He felt… Satisfied. It made him feel proud to know that so many people enjoyed watching him. The talents he'd accumulated through his time at Galley-La and Cipher Pol had not gone to waste. When Kaku was a little, he'd never really thought about a career in entertainment. He'd been brainwashed since he was a mere toddler to believe that absolute justice was the only path to take, and that 'free spirits' (what his strict instructor would refer to pirates, artists, actors and the sort as) were vermin and the dregs of society. But… Kaku didn't feel like vermin. He felt like he could change lives. Like he could allow narrow-minded people to see a different point of view simply by performing for an hour.

It was something incredible that could not be described in any other word but powerful. Kaku had a laugh at that one when he figured it out. 'Powerful' was a term to describe the rate at which one took down his enemies. That's what he'd always been taught. But this power… It was different. It was not as harsh. It was soft, guiding and most of all, gentle. It was art.

* * *

A.N.: I tried really hard to make Bellamy's part situational. I really did. But he's such an interesting guy… It quickly warped into the format you see up there. In the end, I love how it turned out. It's nice experimenting with different formats. Let me know what you guys think~ Kaku's bit was reflective (as you guys know with my whole 'balance each other out scheme' when we have double birthdays), and I'm quite proud of it as well. I'd like to think CP9 went on to better and greater things after Envies Lobby. And I kinda wanted to play that out. I hope you enjoyed~! **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! **I'll see you guys tomorrow for Buggy and Hachi!


	70. Aug 8- Buggy and Hachi

"Aw, come on Buggy" Shanks teased him. Buggy was sick of his crew mate. The other cabin boy was poking him with his mop. It was infuriating. When Buggy set out to become a pirate, he was expecting mounds of treasure and a life of luxury. What he wasn't expecting was having to deal with an annoying red-head, scrubbing away at the deck all day, and catching random bouts of scurvy, leaving him unable to hunt for treasure on any of the islands they landed on. In his 2 years with the Roger Pirates, Buggy had barely been able to scrounge up enough Beri for a fancy meal! Which wasn't even really necessary because the cooks on Roger's ship made the best food. But that wasn't the point!

"What are you so caught up on, Rubber Nose?" Shanks asked, reaching forward to yank on his Nakama's honker.

"Get away from me, tomato-top!" Buggy protested, swatting at the other cabin boy. Shanks stuck out his tongue at his blue-haired friend.

"As if your blueberry locks are any better!" Shanks grinned. Buggy smacked him. Shanks was about to strike him back when Rayleigh passed by. Both boys snapped to attention, arms whipping into a salute. Rayleigh noticed them and smiled softly before laughing.

"This isn't the navy, you little whipper-snappers!" Rayleigh guffawed, doubling over. "Get back to work, will ya!"

"Yes sir!" the boys responded, "Right away sir!"

Rayleigh shook his head despondently and walked off. Buggy made a face at Shanks before soaking his mop in his bucket.

"How can you stand it?" Buggy asked, slapping the mop to the deck, and pushing the suds around before finally digging in. Shanks raised an eyebrow.

"Stand what?" he asked, dipping into his own pail.

"All their patronizing!" Buggy exclaimed, raising his mop into the air in protest and sending dirty water everywhere.

"What patronizing?" Shanks asked, scrunching up his nose. Buggy sighed in exasperation.

"They're treating us for fools!" Buggy whispered frantically, checking to make sure no one else was around.

"What do you mean by that?" Shanks narrowed his eyes.

"Think about it tomato-top," Buggy said, "they force us to work all day, never let us have any treasure, and don't let us go off on our own! They're acting like we're children!"

Shanks hummed thoughtfully.

"We are children, though."

"That's besides the point!" Buggy pouted. "We left our homes to go on this journey! We're mature enough to handle everything!"

"Uh-huh." Shanks laughed, "Sure. There's a reason they force us to work all day. We're not strong enough to do anything else. Heck, we don't even qualify for the lowest ranks of fighters! We're lucky to even be on the Oro Jackson!"

"I don't know about you, tomato-top, but I'm pretty strong!" Buggy objected.

"Prove it!" Shanks said, waggling his tongue and dropping to the ground. His elbow rested on the floor, and he raised his hand tauntingly.

"You're gonna regret this," said Buggy, lying down beside him. The boys clasped hands, and Shanks began the countdown. 3. 2. 1. Both Boys began pressing against the other's hand, trying to force them to bend to the floor. Every time it seemed one of them would win, the other would press back. One of their crewmates saw them arm-wrestling, and quickly called over a few others to watch. Before long, a crowd had gathered, and one person was even taking bets. Both boys were drenched with sweat, but they both refused to give in.

"Just… Let it go… Already…" Buggy muttered through gritted teeth.

"No… Way…" Shanks gasped, pushing even harder. Suddenly, both boys froze, as a dark shadow loomed over them. They looked around, and saw that the rest of their crew mates had returned to their posts. They looked up.

"Playing around, are we?" Rayleigh asked, his eyebrow twitching. "This isn't the navy, boys, but don't think you can get away with not doing your chores!"

Buggy and Shanks yelped as the Dark King picked them up by their shirt collars and launched them over board.

Buggy shouted as he hit the water, which was biting with cold. Shanks looked as if he shared the sentiment.

"We'll haul you back up in half an hour!" Rayleigh called from the ship, "Don't die!"

"I blame you entirely," Buggy chattered.

* * *

Hatchan felt numb in the center of his chest. Every other inch of his body felt completely alive, sensitive, and reactive. But his chest. A small, 1 centimetre hole in his chest. Felt nothing. It was frightening. But it only lasted for a second. As soon as the shock fell away, it relented to pain. Mind-numbing, burning pain. In all his years with Arlong and Tiger, Hachi had never felt anything like this. The bullet had been burried deep within him. Saint Charloss was a freakishly idiotic man, but he did know how to use a weapon. Hachi felt blood seep into his sweatshirt, and dribble down his arm. It was hot. Firey. The tips of his fingers dripped with the liquid, and in the dead silence, every single drop that fell to the ground could be heard. Through the pain, Hachi could hear Saint Charloss laughing, but the words coming out of his mouth were incoherent. Hachi felt like he was going to throw up. The auction's audience began murmurring, their whispers slowly filling the room. Hachi heard someone, walking up the steps. It was the Straw Hat boy. He was… Moving towards Saint Charloss..Hachi's breathing was laboured. He felt weak. But, for the sake of the island… For all the people on it..

"W..Wait…Please,

" Hachi grabbed Straw Hat as he passed by him. The boy tried to tug away, but Hachi held fast. God, it hurt.

"Straw Hat…" Hachi heaved, "You can't…get upset…I was just careless, that's all…"

Straw Hat turned to look at him. Hachi saw his that his eyes were wide and his mouth was glued into a grimace. He was furious. Hachi had to ensure… That he didn't hurt anyone…

"You promised that…" Hachi managed, "Even if someone was shot right before your eyes…you wouldn't lay a hand on the Celestial Dragons, right?!" Hachi raised his voice, sending himself into a coughing fit. He could barely breathe.

The Straw Hat flinched, his eye twitching into a narrow slit.

"After all," Hachi continued painfully, "I used to be a pirate…I did so many awful things, so…I had this coming…"

The Straw Hat's face was a mask. Hachi wasn't getting through to him. It seemed ridiculous. How could the laughing, hearty, optimistic boy that was Straw Hat be the same person as this cold, uncaring youth?

"Sorry… I never wanted this to happen…I just wanted…to make up for all the things I did to Nami…!" Hachi coughed. His breaths were wheezing now. "I was trying to help you, but…As always…I just screw up no matter what I do…!"

The glint in Straw Hat's eyes faded as the boy took Hachi's hand into his own. He knelt down to Hachi, and placed his hand near the wound.

"I really am… clumsy after all…" Hachi attempted a feeble laugh, but broke off into a coughing fit. "In the end… I just caused you trouble…! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"Yoo damn fish!" Saint Charloss whined. The glint in Straw Hat's eyes returned. "Even after I shooot yoo, yoo keep talking! Yoo're annoying!"

Saint Charloss aimed his gun at Hachi, and Straw Hat turned to face the noble. No! He couldn't do this! There were _millions_ of pirates on the island. If Straw Hat raised a finger against Charloss…!

"Yoo, what's with that look of yoors?" Charloss drawled, staring down the Straw Hat. The Straw Hat began walking up the steps. Hachi could hear Pappug trying to stop him, trying to calm him down, but it did no good. Straw Hat was furious. Nothing would stop him. Hachi felt faint. Holding the Straw Hat back had drained him of his health. He slipped in and out of darkness. The last thing he remembered before fainting was Straw Hat's scream as he auditorium rang with the cracking sound of Charloss's helmet and face.

* * *

A.N: Oop. It's a bit late, forgive me? Buggy is an awesome character. Frankly, it's so much fun to see him popping up throughout the series, and trying to guess what arc he'll appear in next! I thought I'd blast to the past and write out his relationship with our favourite Yonko. I honestly like how it turned out a lot! Hate was a little more difficult. You'll notice that they're both rather situational, but I tried to write Hachi's in a reflective point regarding a canon scene. So I hope that balanced it at least a bit. **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Reviews are welcomed and much appreciated. **I'll see you tomorrow for Wapol and Vegapunk!


	71. Aug 9- Wapol

Being poor sucked. Wapol was sick of living on the streets, and _very_ sick of eating garbage. After being kicked out of his kingdom, Wapol had fled to other countries, seeking refuge from his fellow kings. And for a while, he had the time of his life! Dining on the best food, and sleeping in the most luxurious quarters. Until the news spread that, well, Wapol was no longer King of Drum. It had shocked Wapol himself. Marines attempted to imprison the former king, but luckily Wapol managed to get away.'Maybe prison would've been better' he thought, while chewing on a piece of tin, 'at least there I would get 3 square meals a day…' Wapol sighed and slumped to the ground. He'd made his 'home' under a small bridge in one of the larger cities. It was neither warm, nor comfy, but it offered him shelter from the rain.

While he ate, that stupid dog that was constantly following him around began pawing at his arm.

"What?" he grumbled, pushing the dog off. The dog whined, and began relieving himself on Wapol's leg.

"ARGH!" Wapol shouted, jumping away from the dog. "NASTY, ROTTEN, DISGUSTING!" Wapol dipped his leg in the river, washing himself off. The dog wagged its tail, pleased with its accomplishment.

"You know what?" Wapol asked the dog, picking him up by the paw. "You think you're very cute, huh? Well I've had enough of your stupid games!"

Wapol promptly dropped the dog into his gaping maw, chomping and chewing him into little bits. Funnily enough, he wasn't going down. Wapol felt the familiar tingling sensation on the back of his tongue, and promptly regurgitated the dog, which was now made of tin. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" Wapol screamed.

The dog sat down, and Wapol slumped over again, cursing his devil fruit to the ends of the earth. The dog looked at Wapol expectantly.

"What do you want?" Wapol muttered. The dog continued to stare at him. Wapol felt irked, and tossed a piece of scrap metal. "Fetch!" Wapol called, and the dog went running after the scrap. 'That's strange,' thought Wapol, 'that dog never used to be so obedient.' The dog trotted back, and deposited the scrap metal at Wapol's feet. Wapol looked at the dog suspiciously.

"Sit?" he asked, and the dog plopped down beside him.

"Down?" he asked again, and the dog shuffled around until his belly hit the floor.

"Good boy…" Wapol said, and the dog gave him a mechanical squeak in return.

"This could work…" he mumbled.

* * *

"Come one! Come all! To the fantastic robot show! 1000 Beri entrance fee!" Wapol hawked, waving people over to see his little pet perform tricks. He'd gathered a sizable crowd by this point, and the dog was enchanting them already. Parents were impressed with how obedient and practical he was. Kids were amazed with how much fun he could be. And engineers for the life of them couldn't figure out how he worked.

"Mister! Mister!" a little boy called to Wapol, "Can you do that to my dog?" he held out a small brown puppy.

"Of course! But there'll be a fee of 4500 Beri…"

"I can pay," the boy said, pulling out a wallet. Wapol grinned. He was on his way to big money, fast.

* * *

A.N.: _Alright, first off, I decided against doing Vegapunk seeing as I feel there's not enough in canon about him yet, and I don't want to risk it. Secondly, for those of you who read these on the days they come out (as they're supposed to be read), I apologize for the late post. Some things happened yesterday on the 9th, and I wasn't able to post the update. So I'll be posting Urouge, Fujitora, and Gedatsu later today in a separate chapter. Sorry again for the confusion._

Now regarding my sentiment on this chapter… Most of that is an elaboration on Wapol's canon post-Drum arc story. If I'd gotten a little more into it, he might've gone on to make his own toy factory, marry Miss Universe, and become king of the Dark Drum Kingdom. No joke, that's what Oda decided for his future. So I just took the details and spun them into a little more depth. It's one of the things I love to do best in this series ^_^ **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! **I'll see you (in a few hours, haha) later for Urouge, Fujitora, and Gedatsu!


	72. Aug 10- Urouge, Fujitora and Gedatsu

"Still at the bottom of the pack, eh Mad Monk?" Bege asked. Urouge bristled. So what that he had the lowest bounty of all the Supernovas? It wasn't as if he got into trouble with the law that often. Monks were a peaceful people.

"You're not much higher, Bege." Bege's eye twitched. The man loved honorifics, but Urouge wasn't going to give him a single edge.

"I'm higher than that demon of a first mate," Bege responded. "Roronoa-"

"Roronoa Zoro," Urouge sighed. How that monster wasn't higher on the list was incomprehensible. First mate of that dangerously insane Straw Hat he'd been hearing about? Turns out his fellow Supernova had barged his way into the Marineford War, and returned to the battle site afterwards totally unharmed.

"You know, strength isn't measured by bounties," Urouge said pointedly. Bege laughed.

"It's a pretty big indicator though."

Urouge couldn't help but wonder how the marines even calculated bounties. What had he even done to deserve one? Being a pirate was enough to warrant a 500 Beri bounty, especially for newcomers. Even if you hadn't done anything yet, if you flew the flag, the marines would tag you. Urouge of course had gotten that starter bounty. He'd heard Straw Hat was an outlier, achieving 30,000 for his first, which was an insane amount to begin with.

"What was your first bounty, Bege?" he asked the other Supernova. Bege and him had crossed paths on the same island, and had agreed to a civil meeting to discuss politics and such. It should have been awkward, but the other man was surprisingly gregarious.

"500, starting," Bege replied, biting into a piece of steak. So they'd started the same way. Interesting. "You're the same way, ain't you?" Bege said.

"Yes. How did you know?" Urouge replied.

"I do my research," Bege chuckled. Urouge was sure he did. The man was notorious for his informants and assassins. Urouge was lucky enough that his crew was composed of honourable people. Bege probably had to do loyalty checks every other day with all the cloak and dagger the man was engaged in. Urouge, on the other hand, did not bother with gossip, and didn't even read the newspaper. The government had to much to hide to be trusted with printing facts.

"Did you hear?" Bege asked, sipping some red wine, "Captain Kidd is thinking of organizing an alliance."

"What for?" asked Urouge. Kidd was strong. He was a powerful contender for Pirate King. What use did he have for an alliance, which was probably bound to end treacherously anyways (as most pirate alliances do)?

"He wants to take down Emperor Shanks."

Urouge froze. Impossible. The red-haired emperor had gone toe-to-toe with Whiteboard. A rookie couldn't possibly…

"How do you know?" Urouge questioned Bege. Bege shrugged and buttered his bread.

"Same way I'm talking with you." Urouge snickered. So this was what it was about? Bege was gathering intelligence from him. Urouge was surprised he'd managed to pry anything out of the red-haired rookie. Kidd was a tough one.

"You're not getting anything from me," said Urouge, "just know that."

"Oh I do know," Bege replied, "The whole no gossiping thing and whatnot? Yeah, I got it."

"So why am I here?"

"I'd like to propose-"

"An alliance," Urouge finished his sentence.

"Precisely."

* * *

Issho felt horrible. It was the government's entire fault that Dressrosa was in ruins. How, **_HOW_** could they have let this country suffer for so long? And it was all because of that dastardly demon Doflamingo. The odds were completely stacked against the Shichibukai's favour. How had the heavenly bastard managed to thrive for 13 years without even a single shred of scrutiny? Were the living toys in Dressrosa not intriguing enough to investigate? Were the kind King Riku's mad actions that fateful night not astonishing enough to look into? Had the government known all along about Doflamingo's deceit, and played along because theirown heads were on the line? Issho wouldn't have been surprised. It was typical of the Gorosei to do things like this. Cover up. Paint over it. Pretend it never happened. It sickened Issho. The sickness he carried was one that came with wanting to do good, and being faced with so many frustrating and demoralizing obstacles. But this, this was an example. He would make an example out of the Warlord! He would show the entire world how wrong the Shichibukai system was! The great misfortune that swept this country and kept it in this birdcage for so long would finally reap reward. It had been a large price to pay, and a large thing to bet on.

Sakazuki would not be happy with him. Of course he wouldn't be. The man's motto of Absolute Justice did not take into account morals or human will. It was impossible for the recently appointed fleet admiral to see the errors and the misgivings of the Navy. He felt pity for Akainu. Perhaps, the man wanted so dearly to believe that everything was fine, that everything was within his reach, his power. He had blinded himself to the mere possibility that something may be out of place. He needed guidance. Issho wasn't sure he could give it to him. In all honesty, Issho had desperately wanted Kuzan to be the next Fleet Admiral. Although Kuzan followed Lazy Justice, it was a softer and more human justice than Absolute. But Kuzan had cut off all ties with the Navy, and Issho was fairly sure why. It was a difficult situation.

Sure enough, when Issho informed Sakazuki of his decision, the fleet admiral had been furious. Issho was banned from entering any Marine bases until he delivered Trafalgar Law and Monkey D. Luffy's heads on plates to Marine HQ. Just as Issho made an example of him, Sakazuki wanted to make an example of these pirates… Issho was completely against it. Not only was it illogical, but also the citizens of Dressrosa had just witnessed these two pirates save their entire country. Dressrosa would be infuriated, and would be added to the list of Straw Hat supporters. Which, considering the crew had been absent for 2 years, was quite long and included many powerful kingdoms. Monkey D. Luffy was a force to be reckoned with. He had the insane power to motivate anyone he met to join his movements and support him. This entire debacle with Dressrosa would enhance that even further. Those who had gathered at the Colosseum, strong powers from all over the world, would now be supporting the rookie pirate. If not the hero, Monkey D. Luffy would indeed be the martyr of the New Age.

* * *

Gedatsu felt a squeezing pain. It was squeezing his chest. And it didn't hurt. It was just…well… squeezing.

"You alright there, bud?" Goro asked. Ever since he fell to Earth, Gedatsu had been helping this earthling build a hot spring resort. He was not very nice to the man at first, but Goro warmed up to him eventually. Gedatsu shook his head, no. Nothing was wrong. He was fine.

"Alright then," said Goro dubiously. Gedatsu returned to his shovel and began digging. At this point, they were directing water to the bathhouse, which meant a lot of digging. Which Gedatsu was ok with. Digging was fun.

"You're lookin' kinda purple there," Goro said, his eyes glimmering, "Are you sure you're fine."

No…No, Gedatsu wasn't fine. The squeezing hurt now. It burned. He wanted to shout but! Oh.

"Haaaah," Gedatsu exhaled. He'd been holding his breath. Why had he been holding his breath? It made no sense.

"That's the 13th time you've done that in this last hour," Goro said, adjusting his cap. "Why don't you take a break?

"I'm ok," said Gedatsu, returning to his shovel. He was ok. He was fine. Nothing was wrong. Gedatsu continued digging.

"It's raining," Gedatsu mumbled, staring at the drops that had pattered to the ground. His eyes were stinging. Toro looked upwards.

"The sky's clear today," Goro said. "What are you talking- Oh jeez. Blink, man, your eyes are completely red. You teared up is all."

Gedatsu closed his eyes. Relief hit him life a wave. He'd forgotten to blink. That didn't make sense either. There was nothing wrong with him. Nope. He was fine. He kept digging.

"Do you want to eat something?" Goro asked, mopping his brow. Gedatsu said yes, but it came out… Weird sounding. Muffled, and quiet.

"What was that?" Goro asked, turning to look at him.

'I said, I'm alright. Thank you' Gedatsu repeated himself. Didn't he hear him the first time?

"You're biting your lip there, bud," said Goro, gesturing to Gedatsu lips. Indeed, he wedged the fleshy part of his mouth between his teeth. It. Did not make. Sense… He was fine. Completely. Fine. Goro sighed.

"Wanna tell me anything?" he asked his employee.

"Eneru," Gedatsu mumbled. "Eneru…"

"Who's Eneru?" Toro asked kindly, patting the larger man's knee.

"He. He said no. He said don't speak. Don't make a sound. Be alert. Don't close your eyes. Don't you dare alert your enemy that you're near them. He said. That I was. A clumsy. Fool."

'Idiot. Retard. Joke. Stupid. Brain-dead. Buffoon. Careless. Blockhead. Dunce. Cretin. Imbecile. Simpleton. Moron. Laughingstock.' The words bounced around Gedatsu's mind. The words that Eneru had given him. They never spilled out. But every time they hit a wall, they hit a little harder. Because they wanted to get out. They just didn't know how. They didn't know the proper way.

* * *

A.N.: Oh gosh. That was a doozy. Hope the length didn't bother you guys too much~ Urouge's part was fun. I grabbed an idea off his page and ran with it. I like how it turned out. Of course, Bege jumped in for whatever reason. I guess it's because they've been featured so often in the new chapters? I don't mess with canon, so that's why I left that last bit hanging. It's up to you wether or not you want to take it! Urouge was my half and half. Since there are 3 shots in one day, I had to give one shot an equal amount of both. Yay for balance~! Issho was, obviously, my reflective piece. I sooo want to get into that man's mind. He's a relatively new character, but he's already pretty developed in terms of goals and whatnot. I'm excited to see what he does next! Gedatsu was an unexpected addition. See, I don't mess with canon, but Eneru's 'totally psycho employer (because of his own past) that destroyed the minds of his underlings' theme was too good to pass up. So voila. A situational piece becomes "deep". All really interesting characters to work with this time. I hope you enjoyed reading them just as much as I enjoyed writing them~ **Reviews, Favourites, ****Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! **I'll see you tomorrow for Duval!


	73. Aug 11- Duval

Duval was quite happy with his face. It had never bothered him. It was a good face! It wasn't particularly attractive, but that didn't matter too much. A mafia member didn't need to be good-looking. The money alone would've be enough to attract women from all over. Well, that is, if Duval had _made_ any money. Terrorising little villages had been amusing, but they rarely made enough money as a whole for Duval to even bother holding its well-being at ransom. Duval made a living though. And would've been content to just be a small town gangster for the rest of his life. If not for _him_. Black-Leg Sanji. The most elusive member of the Straw Hat Pirates. So elusive in fact, that he'd evaded marine cameras well enough to the point where the Navy had to _draw_ him a bounty photo. And just so happens, Duval's face quite resembled the photo. From then on, his nice little life was _ruined_. Bounty hunters, pirates, and marines alike would chase after him day and night. He'd had to get an _iron mask_ for heaven's sake! Just so he could cover his face and have a few moment's respite before running to a new village in search for shelter. So, of course, he did the natural thing and swore revenge on this 'Black-Leg Sanji'. When he finally met the man who'd ruined his life, he was shocked to find that the Straw Hat was just as distraught over the photo as he was. The man became infuriated, and had attacked Duval. But, when he recovered, he didn't discover horrid injuries, oh no. He discovered… Beauty. Unlike he'd ever seen before. He was a vision of symmetry. He was… Magnificent in every way. He spent hours looking in the mirror, contemplating his good looks. As a child, he had always despised the vain Narcissus from folk tales. He'd thought the man was a fool, and deeply shallow. But now… Now he understood. He understood how beauty could affect someone so greatly. He'd been given a great gift. And so the Black-Leg became his idol, whom he swore he would do anything for. Some might call him crazy, but Duval repayed his debts. When Black-Leg went missing, Duval had protected his boat with all his might. It had been a rough two years, but nothing compared to how Rosy the rest of his life would be thanks to the Black-Leg.

* * *

A.N.: I know, I know. I usually write situational for my solo birthdays, but I felt like treating myself. I hadn't written a reflectional in so long, and I really missed it. It's usually not too well-received, which is why I keep it to a minimum, but I felt like writing for myself this time. So, I hope you enjoyed, and even if you didn't, don't worry. The next one will be a situational featuring our favourite magma bastard. **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! **I'll see you guys on the the 16th for Sakazuki A.K.A. Akainu!


	74. Aug 15- Bon Kurei

"No, No, No, this simply will _not_ do," Bentham pouted. Crocodile looked at the okama unbelievingly, rubbing his temples. The Okama had come a long way since joining Baroque Works. Bentham had skipped up all the way to the top of the agent rankings, landing at #2. And so the okama had earned the codename for the position- Mr.2. Of course, agents usually worked in pairs, but there was no one else quite exactly at Bentham's skill level. So Crocodile had decided to just let the okama take the code name Mr.2 and be done with it.

"What's wrong with it?" Crocodile growled, "Daz liked it perfectly well when he had the name."

"Daz isn't an o-ka-ma," Bentham said, stretching each syllable. "_Mr_.2 implies that I'm a man."

"Are you not?" Crocodile sighed, confused.

"No!" Bentham exclaimed, insulted, "I am an o-ka-ma. I am neither man nor woman. I am both man and woman."

"That doesn't even make sense to me."

Bentham shrugged.

"Does it have to? It makes sense to me, and that's all that matters."

'Hardly,' Crocodile mused, thinking of all the complications that must come with living in that manner.

"What do you want me to call you then?" Crocodile sighed, crossing his arms.

"Isn't Bentham ok?" Bentham whined.

"No. It isn't." Crocodile snapped. The last time he'd allowed one of his agents to use their personal name, said agent had been identified and killed by the government. As annoying as Bentham could be, the okama's Devil Fruit abilities and strength as a fighter made the okama irreplaceable in Baroque Work's espionage branch. Crocodile could not afford to lose Bentham.

"Well…" Crocodile mumbled, "Why don't you just take both names?"

"What was that?" Bentham asked, exaggerating the motion of cupping his ear. Kami, the okama could be so annoying.

"I said," Crocodile grumbled through gritted teeth, "Why don't you just take both names? You don't have a partner, so there wouldn't be any confusion, and you could just use both names as you please."

"Ooh! That sounds kinda nice!"

Crocodile smiled. Bentham appeared satisfied.

"Mr.2's counterpart name is Ms. Obon Kurei," Crocodile said, opening his filing cabinet. He instantly spotted Bentham's dossier of private information. The okama had insisted on decorating it with glitter glue and sparkly stickers. Kami knows the okama is completely screwed if someone decided to break in and search for intel on the top agents. They'd know everything about Bentham in a snap.

"That's kind of a mouthful, isn't it?" Bentham mulled over the name. "Can I just shorten it?"

"To what?" Crocodile asked, skimming through the pages of Bentham's file.

"Bon Kurei has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"Yes," Crocodile mumbled, picking out the document.

"So Mr.2 and Bon Kurei it is?" Bentham asked hopefully.

"Agreed," Crocodile said, jotting down the names on the document. He passed the piece of paper to Bentham, who looked over it approvingly.

"Welcome to the Baroque League of Elites, Agent Bon Kurei."

* * *

A.N.: **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Reviews welcomed and much appreciated! **An explanation: I didn't check my list and by accident noted Bentham down as August 25 instead of 15. So, I'm updating all the chapters in a way that will make sense now. Sorry for the confusion!


	75. Aug 16- Sakazuki AKA Akainu

"Come in," Sakazuki called, shuffling through some more paperwork. That's all he ever got as Fleet Admiral. Meetings and paperwork. It was completely monotonous compared to the escapades he'd been on as an admiral. He was almost tempted to call up Kuzan and offer him the position, but he had no clue where the Ice Man was, and had a feeling the lazy former-admiral would not be so keen on paperwork either. Issho entered the room, tapping his cane before taking each step.

"Have a seat," Sakazuki said, setting aside the papers. He'd do them later… More likely though, he'd get someone else to do them for him.

"What do you need, Saka-san?" Issho asked, leaning his cane on the arm of his chair.

"Don't call me that, Issho. Have a seat."

The newly promoted admiral held up his hands in mock humility and obeyed.

"You're not happy about my promotion, I'm assuming," Sakazuki started, crossing his arms.

"No, I'm not," Issho replied honestly. "I don't agree with your methods and you know that. "

"Those same methods haven't been put to use in months," Sakazuki muttered, holding up his hand and letting it steam bright red. It wasn't long before a pool of lava had formed in his palm. He contemplated letting a drop or two fall onto his paperwork, but decided against it. It would be much more trouble to explain to the Gorosei how 40 contracts with kings all over the world had been broiled and burnt into ashes.

"You seem unhappy, old friend," said Issho. Sakazuki barked a laugh.

"Already using Haki are we?"

"It doesn't take Haki to hear the angry bubbling of magma."

"Perceptive one, aren't you?"

"More perceptive than most who have all 5 senses, yes," Issho quipped, smiling vacantly.

"I've called you here to discuss the Shichibukai."

Issho raised an eyebrow.

"Before you get your hopes up, no, the system is not being abolished," Sakazuki stated, frowning.

"I don't understand how you can be so blind to the situation," Issho sighed.

"Very funny Admiral Fujitora. Would you mind telling me exactly _what_ do you mean by that?"

"That Monkey D. Luffy boy has made a mess out of how many Shichibukai now?"

Akainu's lips curled into a grimace.

"Crocodile was the first," he admit begrudgingly, "Moriah came next, and that cursed Jimbei took his side in the war. We even suspect Hancock had something to do with his being in Impel Down, but the Empress refuses to speak…"

"So even you will admit it."

"You forget the benefits of the Shichibukai," Sakazuki said, leaning back into his chair.

"An example please?" Issho asked, clasping his hands and placing them in his lap.

"Doflamingo is-" Issho scoffed, interupting him.

"Our intelligence reports him as an underground businessman, who fools around with the likes of Kaido. That can't mean anything good."

"I don't care what he does with the Yonko," Sakazuki snapped, "The man is running a succesful and happy country."

"Hardly…" Issho muttered.

"What objections do you have to Dressrosa?"

"Too many to count, Saka-san. The toys, the executives, the fact that the Navy has placed the resources of an entire country at the disposal of a _pirate_ who is allegedly a smuggler supporting a Yonko who is hell-bent on starting a _war_."

"Minor details," Sakazuki said, entwining his fingers and resting his head on his hands.

"You're naïve Saka-san. Everything is right in front of you and yet you refuse to take action"

"There are no actions to take, Issho."

"You know there are."

"You know what? I do. I have a mission for you."

"Goody."

"Don't use sarcasm with me old man."

"Why excuse me, mister 10 years younger."

"Let me find the folder."

"Oh do take your time. I'm in no rush."

Sakazuki ignored him and searched his desk for the file. At last, his eyes fell upon the dossier marked in red.

"Here," he said, passing the folder to Issho. Issho blinked before waving his hand in front of his eyes rapidly.

"Blind. B-L-I-N-D. Blind."

"My apologies," Sakazuki bit his tongue. "You don't have to sass me, Admiral Fujitora. You're acting like a child."

"Says he who is not considerate to his elders."

"So you admit you're an old man," Sakazuki grinned.

"Read me the goddamn file aready," Issho grumbled. Sakazuki chuckled before cracking open the folder.

"Operation: Stake Out. Doflamingo has informed me that the Mera Mera no Mi has been brought back into this world. He intends to hold a competition for it in his Colosseum. He predicts the attendance of several world-renowned pirates, including the legendary Don Chinjao, Hyena Bellamy, rising star Cavendish, and many more. The competitors are protected from the Navy once they enter the Colosseum, however they are vulnerable as soon as they exit. Your mission is to capture these pirates and criminals as they exit the building."

Issho grimaced.

"You're sending an 'old man' like me on a field mission? This sounds like a job for a vice admiral."

"Well, considering you've taken so much interest in your little Dressrosa conspiracy, I thought it would be fitting."

"You're punishing me, aren't you?"

"Of course not! I just believe you best for the job."

"Don't even try to lie to me, Saka-san."

"My apologies."

"Ah-ah-ah! You're not sorry at all you little punk."

"No, Admiral Fujitora, I'm not."

* * *

A.N.: Sorry everyone, this is being posted late because I'm abroad, jet lagged, and tired (haha).

Sakazuki…He is a little evil isn't he? I tried writing him as a child, but it didn't quite… Come out right? In any case, Issho turned out to be a humorous foil to his solidarity, so I wrote a little scene using that fact. Hope you enjoyed! **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated. **I'll see you on the 18th for Wiper!

P.S. Issho's age has not been disclosed yet, but his character design is based on the actor Shintaro Katsu, who was around 65 when he died. Akainu is 55 years old, so I decided that it would be ok to make a few educated guesses to provide some banter between them ^_^


	76. Aug 18- Wiper

"You always have to jump to conclusions, don't you?!" Laki screamed, sending an earthen pot flying towards Wiper's head. Wiper snarled at her at lept to the side, allowing the pot to crash into the wall. He reached down to the sheathes strapped to his legs, and returned fire with a knife. Laki plucked the whizzing blade out of the air with no problem, and flicked it back at Wiper. Damn that woman. She'd always been the better marksman.

"I was completely justified!" Wiper screamed, diving for his bazooka.

"Um… No firearms in the village?" Kamakiri said tentatively, wringing his hands in worry.

"Screw that!" Laki shouted, retrieving her rifle. Kamakiri stepped between them, holding out his arms.

"Are you guys actually goi-"

The rest of Kamakiri's sentence was lost, blocked out by the sound of Laki's rifle striking the ground near Wiper's feet.

"Guess so," Kamakiri muttered, gesturing at Braham to start evacuating the village.

"Ever since we were children, you've always been rash and arrogant!" Laki screamed, firing another shot. The bullet whizzed by Wiper's head, taking a few strands of hair from his mohawk. "I never thought you would be _this_ stupid!"

"Me? Stupid?!" Wiper shouted, "you've never gone against my word, Laki. Why now?!"

"Because all God-"

"GOD?!" Wiper screeched, enraged. "You call that FOOL in white clothing a GOD?!"

"It is his position in the Skypiean government, his **_status_**," Laki yelled back, "I WILL RESPECT THAT. All God wanted was peace between our people! Even the elders of our village, those who are the wisest among us, were for a truce! Yet your stupid actions have cost us the tranquility we once had!"

"What tranquility?!" Wiper shouted, as he dodged another bullet and tried to fire back, only to realize he had no ammunition. He cursed and rolled to the side, grabbing a nearby flintlock, and aiming at Laki.

"This false sense of security has done nothing for our people!" he said, as he shot at Laki. The bullet grazed her arm, and Laki cried out in pain before quickly biting her lip and shooting back.

"The security we hold is genuine!" Laki shouted, "We are thriving, living, yet you yearn for an ancient text we're unsure even exsists! You're risking _everything_ for a sense of pride! For a man named Noland whom you never met. You're stupid!"

Wipe's face set into a grim stare. Laki froze. She'd gone too far.

"Say it again… SAY IT AGAIN," Wiper beckoned her.

"I'm.. sorry. I-I overstepped," Laki mumbled, dropping her weapon.

"Get lost," Wiper muttered, throwing a rock at her.

* * *

Kamakiri stepped into the village. It was less damaged than he'd expected, but horrid all the same. Laki had returned to the main group of villagers, and informed them that Wiper had left to go blow off his steam.

"All this over a pint of Pumpkin Juice?" Kamakiri muttered, picking through broken shards of glass. Isa approached him.

"What… What happened?"

Kamikiri sighed. The story was almost too ridiculous to recount.

"Ganfall wanted a treaty with us, and the village elders agreed with the proposal. Wiper, however, wanted the rest of Vearth back in exchange. Apparently, Ganfall was unable to grant him such a request, and asked him to ask for something else. Wiper asked for 100 innocent Skypiean heads mounted on stakes, and of course, Ganfall refused. So the treaty was called off and Ganfall left. Before he left, he complimented our pumpkin juice, and, well, Wiper took it in the wrong way…

"How does one even mistake a compliment for an insult?" Isa asked, her eyebrows drawn close together.

"Apparently it was some religious insult towards Noland? That man is impossible to figure out… God knows what goes through Wiper's mind. Not… Government God, but, y'know, Divine God."

* * *

A.N.: It's a bit shorter than the ones I've been doing recently, but I love it all the same~ One of the deepest arcs in One Piece is in fact Skypiea. There's so much going on with Eneru, the Golden Bell, the Vearth, the Skypieans, Bellamy, it's all so much to take in. I passed over the arc years ago, and I'm _still_ analyzing the politics behind it. It was nice to revisit those characters, and write out their drives.**Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! **I'll see you on the 25th for Bon Clay A.K.A. Bentham A.K.A. Mr. 2!


	77. Aug 22- Vander Decken IX

Yes, love at first sight.

She is young but radiant.

He will wed her soon.

* * *

A brush of the hand.

A slight touch, she notices.

Scream of fear, too late.

* * *

Hand locked on to her.

Gifts and letters sent her way.

She does not reply.

* * *

Weapons thrown her way.

Battle axes declare his love.

For Shirahoshi.

* * *

Her words: Not my type

Ring through his head like bells

His heart is broken

* * *

If he can't have her

No one will, Noah will kill

Any chance of love

* * *

Rubber destroys wood

Splinters fly everywhere

Noah is no more

* * *

Plan failed, retreat now

Captured and he is exiled

Vander Decken leaves

* * *

A.N.: Not my usual style, but haikus are fun. And the guy is fond of 'em so why not? In any case, there was some mix-up with my schedule and due to me being away I'm fixing it now. **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! **I'll see you in the next chapter for Monet!


	78. Aug 27- Monet

"Go on," Doflamingo prompted her, "eat it."

Monet hesitated. She didn't know what it was. Nor did she know if it would be beneficial to her. In the Grand Line, Devil Fruit users swarmed the seas. Monet had heard countless stories of magnificent and powerful beings, and just as many of poor souls that sold their ability to swim for a useless ability. She did not want to take the chance. But Doflamingo insisted.

"It's Logia. How bad could it be?"

Monet snorted. Says the Puppet Master, who had the ability to control the masses with a flick of his wrist. What if she ended up with something horrid? How awful would it be to trail around slime for the rest of her life, or something like that? No, she'd rather die.

Doflamingo slammed his hand on the table.

"I said. _Eat It_."

Monet winced. She really didn't have a choice, did she? She picked up the fruit, which ressembled a large, mutated lychee nut. She cracked open the shell, and gave Doflamingo a glance. He was looking at her harshly, with a raised eyebrow. She shied away and looked at the fruit. It was an unnaturally pale blue. Monet felt sick. She raised the fruit to her mouth, and bit off a piece tentatively. The texture was actually quite pleasant. Soft, fleshy and juicy. But the taste. Monet gagged. To put it simply, it tasted like shit. Which, Monet had never tasted before, but she imagined it tasted like this fruit. She was very, _very_ tempted to spit it out on the spot. But Doflamingo was watching her.

So she swallowed, and immediately felt faint. She dropped to the ground, holding herself.

"It worked," she gurgled, "I hope you're happy."

Doflamingo chuckled.

"We'll see what happens soon enough. I'll leave you be, then?"

He exited the room leaving Monet to writhe uncomfortably on her bed. She felt as if every cell in her body was being rearranged. It burned, and burned, and burned until it all came to a complete stop. The opposite of burning, she felt cold. Had she always been so cold? She couldn't remember. The tips of her fingers were the same blue as the fruit, and was spreading up her hand. She got up quickly, and looked in the mirror. Her lips were blue as well, and she herself was pale as…

"Snow," she gasped, dissolving into icy crystals. It was a bizarre thing to _be_ snow. She felt airy, and light. She had no eyes, nor a mouth, nor any distinguishable features. But she could still sense everything in the room.

She gusted the pile of snow that was herslef towards the window. She materialized suddenly, and heard the couch creak suddenly under her weight. Looking at her body, she could see that only patches of her were there. Thick, packed layers of snow replaced spanses of skin and muscle. She poked at the skin around the spots, and poked at the snow itself. The layers crumbled, and left a hole in her thigh. She panicked, and jumped backwards off the couch. She landed in a pile, and dissolved once more into snow. This was getting frustrating. She had no way of controlling this power. But, she was thankful. It wasn't too troublesome, other than the fact that she may never be able to go to the beach again. But she wasn't too fond of the sand anyways…

'Get a grip' she thought to herself. She sensed Trebol sliming into the room. 'Gross,' she moaned inaudibly.

"Hey, hey, Monet?" he whined, looking around and noticing the snow. "Hey, hey is that you?"

Monet forced herself to move around, trying to indicate that yes, the random pile of snow was sentient. Trebol laughed at her antics, and Monet subsequently stopped, figuring that the officer had worked it out.

"Right then, Doffy told me that I have to teach you how to control your new power."

'And who exactly made _you_ the expert on Logia Devil Fruits?!' Monet thought. The man could be mistaken for Logia, but he had certain limitations. In any case, he _certainly_ wasn't qualified for this job.

"Hey, hey, how about you get out of your elemental state?"

'I would if I knew how,' Monet thought, disgruntled.

"Hey, hey you probably don't know how, huh?" Trebol mused, dripping all over the floor.

'Right, and you do? Oh for Kami's sake, not the carpet!' Monet thought frantically, 'Please don't drip on the—' Her thoughts were cut off by a large glob of slime, landing directly on her treasured Alabastian Rug. Monet wisped around Trebol angrily, fluttering in his eyes to annoy him. That disgusting stuff would take her forever to get out!

"Hey, hey, stop that!" Trebol whined, swatting at her. "I'll tell you how to get back to your solid form, so just stop that already!"

Monet retreated to her bed, clumping herself together in a pile. So the Paramecia _did_ know that much. Well, she'd listen. For now.

"Right then, imagine your physical body. Hey, hey are you doing it yet?"

Monet could not wait to kick the annoying bastard's ass as soon as she was out of this form. She shook the snow pile up and down, indicating that yes, she was picturing herself.

"Now focus on your eyes. Look into them until your vision goes black. When you see light, you should be back in your original form."

Trebol was surprisingly helpful. Monet stared into her own amber eyes, losing herself dizzily. When white light shined through, she awoke, and noticed all her senses had returned. She looked at her hands, twisting them about. She got up and walked towards her mirror. As far as she could see, there were no patches…

"Hey, hey did it work?" Trebol asked. Monet bit back a sarcastic reply.

"Yes, it did. Thank you for your assistance."

"Hey, you're welcome! Anytime!"

Monet smiled. Perhaps he wasn't as bad as she—_Plop! _

She stared at her carpet. Another glob had seeped into the rug. Trebol looked down hastily, and slimed out of the room as quickly as he could.

"GET OVER HERE, SLIMEBALL" she screeched, "I WILL ANNIHILATE YOU!"

* * *

A.N.: I'm kind of in love with this one. I've always wondered what it would be like to eat a Devil Fruit. Would you guys do it if you had the chance? Monet's fun to work with it. She's deeply analytical and intellectual. I can imagine her having a hard time deciding if she wanted to take a chance with a Devil Fruit or not. **Well, I hope you enjoyed! Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! **I'll see you tomorrow for Hannayabal!


	79. Aug 28- Hannyabal

"Hannyabal," Magellan called him. This was unusual. The Warden had been ridiculously busy since that major prison break right before the Marineford war. He didn't have much time to interact with those below him. Many higher-ups were berating and punishing him. Hannyabal might've felt bad, if not for the fact that he so desperately wanted to be Warden himself. With everyone pointing out Magellan's faults, Hannyabal was looking more and more attractive for a promotion.

"I need to talk to you about something," Magellan said, as Hannyabal trotted over.

"Actually, there are some matters I have that require you attention as well," Hannyabal said, handing his supervisor a pile of documents. Magellan sighed uncharacteristically as he looked through the papers rapidly. This was definitely strange. Normally the Warden would just toss the papers back to Hannyabal, or whine about doing them later.

"Is there something wrong, sir?" Hannyabal asked, his mind whipping around as to what the Warden's predicament might be.

"Yes, actually," Magellan said, "I'm being demoted."

This did not come as much of a shock to Hannyabal. Magellan had had some major slip-ups. Releasing former Warden Shiliew for one thing, and letting Monkey D. Luffy escape another. Heck, the man had basically added gasoline to the flame that was the Marineford War. All the escapees from Impel Down had miraculously ended up at Marine HQ, on a marine ship no less, bearing guns and enemies of the government. Hannyabal wouldn't stoop so low as to say it was completely Magellan's fault, but the man had certainly contributed to it.

"Demoted to what position?" Hannyabal asked nervously.

"Vice Warden," Magellan moaned.

"But," Hannyabal began, frowning, "That's my position!"

"Yes," Magellan scrunched his eyebrows, "it is."

"So?" Hannyabal prompted the Warden.

"So what?" Magellan asked, missing the former Vice Warden's intonation.

"SO, What's going to happen to me?!" Hannyabal shouted.

"Er…" Magellan mumbled, "I think they're promoting you."

Promoting? What did he mean by that? There was not higher position in Impel Down other than-

"Warden?" Hannyabal asked tentatively. "Are they promoting me to Chief Warden?!"

Magellan sighed, and a large puff of poison gas came streaming in Hannibal's direction. Hannyabal, who was too shocked to take notice received the poison head on, and was sent into a coughing fit.

"I CAN'T DO THIS!" Hannyabal screeched through his coughs. "I CAN'T DO THIS AT ALL!"

What had he been thinking?! Chief Warden?! That was a _really_ hard job! There was no way he could mess up, or have days off! And was he even strong enough to keep the prisoners in line?!

"I can't I can't I can't I can't-"

"Oh shut up," Magellan grumbled. "You're going to be fine. Besides, you'll have me to help you. You can't possibly screw up."

"But, but you screwed up, and look what happened to you!"

"Oh horrors," Magellan dead-panned, "I've been demoted to the position directly under my former. Whatever will I do?"

Magellan had a point. Maybe. Maybe Hannyabal could do this after all.

* * *

A.N.: Urgh. Sorry this is late. Just, ETM took up so much time I couldn't- Anyways, hope you like it! **Reviews, Favourites, ****Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated!** I'll see you in a few hours for Dadan (Ahaha)


	80. Aug 30- Dadan

"Dadan," Dogra said, stepping into the hut. Dadan looked up from her bowl of rice. Magra ducked into the doorway as well. The two of them stood side by side, looking somewhat solemn.

"Ah!" she exclaimed, placing down her bowl, "you're back!"

Dogra nodded slowly. Dadan felt that something was off.

"You have the newspaper, don't you?" she asked him.

"Yes," Dogra replied, biting his lip and retrieving the Sunday special from his back pack.

"What's wrong?" Dadan asked. Dogra shifted uncomfortably.

"Magra please," Dogra mumbled, "I had to do it last time, I can't… I can't do it again."

"Do what?!" Dadan said, worried by this point, "What's wrong?!"

Dogra gave Magra the newspaper, and Magra took off the rubber band. Magra unrolled it carefully, and cleared his throat.

"Breaking News," he read aloud, his lip trembling, "Fire-Fist Ace-"

"No," Dadan muttered, shaking her head, "NO."

"Fire-Fist Ace," Magra continued, "has been kil-"

"NO," Dadan interupted him, her eyes watering, "It's not possible. They're lying."

"Fire-Fist Ace has been killed by Admiral Akainu in the closing of the Marineford War."

Dadan shook her head as several teardrops pattered onto the wooden floor of the hut.

"They're lying, don't believe them, Magra, Dogra. The Marines are nothing but _liars_. M-My Ace is stronger than them. My A-Ace is faster than them. Th-There's no way."

"Dadan, please," Magra begged her, tears falling from his own eyes, "there's a picture."

"NO!" Dadan screamed, "It's not possible! It's fake, ITS FAKE!"

"HE'S GONE, DADAN," Dogra screamed. "DAMNIT, HE'S GONE AND SABO IS TOO."

"WHY-"

"But he saved Luffy," Magra said, cutting off his leader, "he saved him. Luffy's still alive, Dadan."

"He's all alone," Dadan cried, "two of my boys are gone," she lamented, sobbing into her sleeve. "And one is all alone!"

"Garp was there too," Magra said, sniffling.

"That bastard," Dadan muttered, "I'LL KILL HIM. I'LL KILL HIM!" she screeched, throwing her bowl of rice at the wall, where it smashed into a dozen pieces.

"GO!" Dadan screamed at her subordinates, "Go. Before I kill you both."

Magra and Dogra obliged, rushing out of the hut and leaving the newspaper at the door. Dadan crawled towards the doorway, leaving a trail of tears from her sitting place. She picked up the newspaper with trembling hands, and looked at the headline. **Fire-Fist Ace has been Killed by Admiral Akainu in the Closing of the Marineford War. ** Below the headline, indeed, there was a picture. That grown brat, whom she raised for the better part of his life, he who she would call- her son… He was standing over her youngest son, a molten hand portruding from his stomach. The hand was connected to the arm of a cruel-looking man, who she assumed was… the Admiral. Luffy was wide-eyed and shocked in the photo. His expression… It hurt to look at. Luffy looked like…Like he could not comprehend what was happening.

"He's going to be traumatized…" Dadan cried, "My-My Luffy won't- he won't…"

He won't be able to forgive himself. He was so close to saving his older brother. Dadan knew full well this would weigh on Luffy for the rest of his life. Two of her sons dead, and the youngest traumatized for life. What had she ever done to deserve this?

* * *

When Dogra and Magra returned to the hut, they found that a wall had been smashed apart. Doga sniffled, and walked into the main room. Weapons, smashed kitchenware, and metal bits were strewn all over. He saw Dadan on the floor, her eyes red and teary. She was clutching the newspaper tightly to her chest.

"He's gone," she mumbled upon seeing them, "Ace is _really_ gone."

* * *

A.N.: Have a tear-jerker, will you? Late again, and I don't have much excuse other than I'm exhausted. September's tomorrow, and I'm _barely_ prepared for that onslaught. Ah well, it's my fault. **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated!** I'll (hopefully) see you in a few hours for Cavendish!


	81. Aug 31- Cavendish and Hakuba

"EEEK!"

A horde of women came rushing towards Cavendish out of nowhere, crowding around him in attempts to win his recognition. Cavendish could only sigh pleasantly. It was only natural for women to want to swarm him. After all, he was truly a sight for sore eyes. He'd visited this town several times before, just to establish his attractiveness to its inhabitants. Not that he needed to, he just liked to remind people of his supreme beauty. However…

"Where's Reina?" he asked his admirers.

"Huh?" asked the baker's daughter, tugging on Cavendish's sleeve and pressing close to him. "Why would you care for a slovenly woman such as her? Surely someone like myself-"

"Have you no shame?" Cavendish interuppted her, ripping his arm from her grasp. The woman gasped, but retreated back into the crowd with her head bowed.

Reina. Though most were at Cavendish's beck and call, this specific young woman had dedicated herself and her services to the Pirate Prince. She was completely loyal to him, almost unusually so. She'd promised him a large cake for his birthday (something he was actually looking forward to, but would never admit). Had something happened to her?

"Do any of you know what happened to that girl, Reina?" he asked the crowd.

"Ooh! I know! I know!" one of the girls shouted, eager for Cavendish's attention.

"Yes?" he asked her. The girl looked like she might faint. But she collected herself and bowed humbly.

"She is at home right now, sitting in prayer at her altar."

Altar? Since when had the girl been so religious to anyone but him?

"Where is her home?" he asked once more, "Show me!"

The girls around him immediately scrambled to lead the way, tugging him along. They brought Cavendish to a medium-sized house. The inhabitant appeared to be of middle-class status.

"Leave me," he commanded the women. They obeyed him almost humourously, trampling over each other in their attempts to fulfill his desire.

Cavendish knocked lightly on the door to no avail. Grimacing, he knocked harder. And harder. And harder until he slammed the door open with his fury.

"REINA!" he shouted into the seemingly-empty household.

"Cavendish?" a voice called. He looked at the hallway to his left, and saw Reina standing there, eyes glazed.

"Wait, Cavendish?!" he muttered, uncomprehending. "No honorific? Just- Cavendish?!"

"That's your name, is it not?" Reina asked, raising her eyebrow and crossing her arms. It was Cavendish's turn to nearly faint. Such disrespect! From someone who was always so consistent in idolizing him!

"Who are you, and what have you done with Reina!?" Cavendish sputtered.

"I don't know what you mean," Reina said, "but if you're not going to pay your respects, I suggest you leave."

Oh. The girl must be grieving. It was the only explanation for this sudden change in behaviour.

"My apologies," Cavendish said smoothly, "I am sorry for your loss. May I lend my sympathies?"

Reina looked confused, but nodded. "Yes. I think they'd be most delighted."

Cavendish followed Reina down the hallway, until they reached a grand wooden door. Reina made the 'shush' motion to Cavendish, and turned the doorknob. Cavendish entered the room, and nearly wanted to scream in protest. The 'altar' Reina's friend was talking about was not for a memorial, rather it was a shrine for worship! And the people Cavendish's formerly devoted follower was currently worshipping?

"The Supernovae!" Reina whispered excitedly, "aren't they cool?!"

The altar was composed of curtains, incense, and candles on wooden steps leading up to a wall. The wall was plastered with wanted posters.

"Jewelry Bonney, Capone Bege, Monk Urouge, Scratchmen Apoo, X Drake, Basil Hawkins, Killer, Roronoa Zoro, Eustass Kid, Trafalgar Law, and my favourite: Monkey D. Luffy!" Reina listed, squealing excitedly. Cavendish studied this Monkey character. This? This… Brat had stolen one of his fans? Impossible!

"Er…" Cavendish began awkwardly, "What exactly do you _like_ about this-"

"Luffy-Sama?" Reina asked.

"Yes," Cavendish muttered, gritting his teeth. **'****So _he_ gets an honorific?****'** _'No, not now.'_

"Oh plenty! He's so kind-hearted, and dedicated, and very honourable! Did you know he even went back to Marine HQ after the war _just_ to pay his respects to his brother and Whitebeard?!"

Cavendish sniffed. So what? The guy could grieve. What else was new?

"He passed through giant groups of marines just to get to the exact ravine! And then he rang the Ox Bell!"

Ok, he had guts. But so did most of the pirates on the Grand Line.

"And, he single-handedly escaped Impel Down! After going in on purpose to save his brother! Plus, right after he escaped, he went straight to Marineford to help stop the execution! Isn't that cool?!"

Cavendish felt irritated. Very irritated. And the incense was making him sleepy. Very sleepy.

**'I could destroy it all for you. I could rip apart this town until they screamed our name in fear.'**

"No Hakuba," Cavendish mumbled.

"What was that?" Reina asked.

"Nothing," Cavendish chuckled.

**'You're weak.'**

* * *

"HAKUBA!" Cavendish screamed, jolting awake. He suddenly became aware of his situation. His sword was pressed into Reina's throat. Reina was crying.

"Hakuba, you idiot," Cavendish groaned. He sheathed his sword. "Reina, I'm sorry, Hakuba-"

"Get out," Reina whimpered, clutching at her neck. Cavendish hadn't been quick enough. Blood was trickling through between her fingers.

"Reina-"

"Please go away," she said. "You're not welcomed here anymore."

Cavendish nodded and exited the household. He began walking towards the stable where he'd left Farul.

_'I hope you're happy.'_

**'You're weak'**

_'What is wrong with you?! Would you really have claimed her life?!'_

**'She displeased you greatly. She made an empty promise.'**

_'So what…'_

**'I am you and you are me. I know you were upset. Because you are too weak.'**

_'I'm not.'_

**'Let me take over. I would rule the world with you as my guise.'**

_'Never. I was granted this power on the condition that I never listen to your temptations.'_

**'Weakling.'**

_'Say what you want. My body is my own.'_

**'Hm. Perhaps you need some motivation?'**

_'Hakuba don-'_

Instantly, Cavendish felt an intense hunger being born within him. A hunger that urged him to eliminate, to _kill_ the Supernovae. The Worst Generation that was stealing his spotlight. They must all die for this hunger to be satisfied.

* * *

A.N.: Yay! I caught up! But yeah, hope you don't mind the use of an OC~ I don't use them often, but I felt a need for this one. I kinda wanted to write an event that might've been Cavendish's trigger for insanity. As ObscureWriter wrote, "A method to the madness". I figured Hakuba might've had something to do with it, so I just had to write it in.

I cannot believe we are already this far in! The end of August marks 2/3 of the year finished! Thank you all so much for your support up till this point! A reminder that, I do recognition pages at the end of my fics to 'immortalize' everyone who has supported me throughout my endeavour. In these recognition pages, I list all the story followers, favourites, and reviews. So please do one of those things if you'd like to end up on the list! I love you all so much, and I hope you continue to enjoy reading these one-shots just as much as I enjoy writing them! **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! **I'll see you tomorrow for Jewelry Bonney and the September List!

_P.S. Sorry if the end is a tad confusing, Cavendish is basically talking mentally with Hakuba. Emboldened sentences are Hakuba's thoughts, italics are Cavendish's._


	82. Sep 1- Jewelry Bonney and Sep List

Feeble hands brushed over hollow cheeks and stopped at dry lips. Bonney sucked at her thumb. She bit at her nails. She tried to remember what it was like to be full. To be safe from starvation. Her jaw felt weak. It hadn't chewed on anything in a week. Sure, it'd been bad before, but this was awful. She was desperate to eat anything she could get her hands on, just to fill her stomach. However, in the cold, stone city, there were no berries or fruits to consume. 'It's better than being beaten' she reminded herself. She couldn't remember how long ago it was that she had run away from home, but it was a distant past she only wanted for motivation.

Bonney wasn't so low as to steal. But… This was her breaking point. The smell of fresh pizza drifted into the dark alleyway she called 'Home'. From across the street, through a musty window, she could just barely see a portly man tossing pizza dough. She crept out of her alleyway and onto the sidewalk. The man was maneouvering the saucer of dough with ease. It spun around several times in the air before falling back onto his fist. It was beautiful, and it was a shame it was all being hidden behind closed doors. Bonney looked both ways before crossing the street. She hopped onto the sidewalk, and pressed her nose against the window. She peered inside to not avail. The man had dissapeared. She squinted her eyes, trying to see if she could spot a glimpse of him. The sudden chime of store bells startled her, and she jumped away from the window.

"Bambina," the portly man called her, smiling widely. His moustache was covered in flour, and he had a smear of bright red tomato sauce on his apron.

"Come in, won't you?" he asked her, gesturing to the inside of the shop. Bonney hesitated, but the smell was too tempting.

She walked into the store, and shivered. The store was warm and inviting. It was a stark difference from the cold she'd been forced to endure. T he store was brightly lit by both a large ceiling light, and a roaring oven. Four small, wooden tables were placed near the street-side window, each with two metal chairs tucked into them. The man pulled out a chair near the doorway, and Bonney took a seat.

"I saw you were watching my pizza-making," the man said, grinning at Bonney. "I'm pretty good, no?"

Bonney nodded in agreement.

"Oh! I haven't even introduced myself! I am Giomar, and you are?"

"Bonney," Bonney mumbled, "Jewelry Bonney."

"Ah! My sweet Gioielli! You look so affamato, so hungry! Will you have something to eat?"

Bonney nodded, anxious to fill her stomach with anything.

"I give you pizza?" Giomar asked.

"Yes please," Bonney smiled.

"Good!" Giomar rushed to the oven, and pulled out a large peel, on which rested a golden looking pizza. The room immediately smelled heavenly. Bonney could see steam rising off the crust, and the cheese bubbling over tomato sauce.

"It's fresh, and it's hot," Giomar said, sliding the pizza off the peel and onto a large platter. "We wait 5 minutes before we eat, ok?" Bonney nodded, salivating at the mouth.

* * *

5 minutes had never taken so long in Bonney's life. As soon as the clock had shifted from 6:30 to 6:35, Bonney hopped off her chair and nudged the mezzaluna on the counter towards Giomar.

"I know you're hungry, Gioielli," Giomar chuckled, taking the utensil into his hands and rapidly cutting the pizza into even slices. He slid a triangle spatula underneath a slice, and slipped it onto a plate.

"Here you go, Bambina," Giomar laughed, as Bonney wiped her mouth on her sleeve. She looked over the pizza, taking in its appearance. Giomar had sprinkled in some herbs with the cheese, which was still steaming. Bonney lifted the slice to her mouth, not caring that the crust was still burning hot. She took a bite, careful not to burn the roof of her mouth. Her mouth exploded in flavor, and she had to wipe her mouth to prevent the sauce from dripping onto her clothes. She pulled the slice away from her mouth, and it left strings of cheese behind it. She chewed on the bite of pizza, her jaw aching with pleasure. She quickly devoured the rest of the slice, and looked to Giomar pleadingly for more.

"I give you more on one condition," he raised an eyebrow. "My shop is not so good-looking you see?" Bonney nodded. "And I need a little helper to clean it up for me. Will you do this?"

"Yes," Bonney said sincerely, "as long as you teach me how to make that!" she exclaimed, pointing at the pizza.

"So mio Gioielli is a litte spunky, is she?" Giomar laughed, a twinkle in his eye. "Alright then, I shall teach you my trade."

* * *

A.N.: Woohoo! And with that, we kick off our September birthdays! I hope you guys enjoyed that one, 'cuz I sure did! Bonney's awesome to work with, but I wanted to write her a bit more quietly than her usual brash self. As such, I went back to the roots of childhood~ I also recently visited Rome, so I drew a bit of inspiration from there as well. Can you tell (haha)?

As it is September, I must post my list of birthdays for the month! For all you new readers who don't know the purpose of this list, it's for you guys to check and make sure your favourite character is getting their one-shot this month! If you don't see them, or you see that I've gotten their birthdate mixed up, please Review or PM me with the mistake, and I'll be happy to fix it! Now, without further ado, here's our September list:

Sep 1- Jewelry Bonney

Sep 2- Boa Hancock

Sep 3- Boa Sandersonia

Sep 5- Crocodile/ Boa Marigold

Sep 6- Moria

Sep 9- Basil Hawkins/Shyarly

Sep 11- Montblanc Cricket

Sep 16- Laboon

Sep 19- Don krieg

Sep 21- Pappug/ Kuzan (Aokiji)/ **Erika Peterson**

A little lengthy isn't it? I'll be busy all month with school and such, so I might not respond to some of your reviews like I normally do. But please know that I appreciate and treasure them dearly! You guys are what motivate me to keep writing this, and hearing from you all makes my day! So thank you! **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! **I'll see you in the next chapter for Boa Hancock!


	83. Sep 2- Boa Hancock

Run. Run. Run. Run RUN!

Hancock awoke with a piercing scream. Her attendant burst through the door in alarm.

"What is it my lady?" she exclaimed, her eyes wide. Hancock breathed deeply, calming herself.

"Nothing, return to your post," she huffed, retaining her haughty air.

"Are you sure-"

"What did I just say?!" Hancock hissed.

"Yes, my lady," the girl replied demurely, closing the door. Hancock was enveloped by darkness. She lay back into her pillow, and shut her eyes tight.

RUN. RUN. RUN. **RUN!**

Hancock opened her eyes again. She could not sleep. It was impossible for her. It'd been two years since her and her sisters' escape from Marie Joie. But the nightmares had yet to pass. Visions plagued her mind of the torture they had gone through. The beatings, the blood, the marks. The brand on her back that marked her as less than human. She would never be free of the Dragon's Hoof. She clapped a hand over her mouth to trap an escaping sob. She could never run. She could never get away.

"Sister?" Hancock heard a call at her door.

"What do you want, Marigold?" she asked her youngest sibling. Marigold entered the room tentatively, her eyebrows drawn together in worry.

"Can I… Can I stay with you again?" asked Marigold, tugging on a strand of her hair. Hancock's hard glare softened. She patted the spot next to her, inviting her sister to lie beside her.

"It's so scary, sister," Marigold whispered, making her way towards the bed. She lay down and curled up beside Hancock. Hancock could see her muscles tightening and clenching together.

"Calm yourself," she said soothingly, placing a hand on her sister's back. Marigold shifted uncomfortably. Hancock removed her hand immediately. Marigold had been the first to be branded. She was especially… Sensitive about it.

"Is it going to be like this for the rest of our lives?" Marigold asked, her voice tight and strained.

"I don't know," Hanock sighed, running her hands through Marigold's hair.

"Hancock?" Sandersonia opened the door.

"You too?" Hancock asked.

Sandersonia nodded, grimacing. Hanock frowned, and moved over, allowing Sandersonia to lie down on the right side of the bed.

"Well isn't this nostalgic?" Marigold laughed feebly.

Hancock and Sandersonia glared at her. They had been forced to share a bed when they were slaves. They barely fit, and would wake up with their limbs aching.

"Sorry," Marigold muttered. "How do you do it, Hancock?" she asked.

"Do what?" Hancock said, raising her eybrow.

"Deal with it all."

Hancock scoffed.

"I don't," she seethed, clawing at the blankets. "I can't forget. Everything that haunts you haunts me too."

"But you're so strong," Sandersonia murmured.

"I am the weakest of all of you," Hanock confessed, "I have both the burden of my time at Marie Joie, and the burden of having to appear strong and proud to my subjects as their Empress. It is possible, but taxing. I cannot do it for much longer." She sighed.

"Are you saying you would-"

"Resign?" Hancock cut Marigold off. "Possibly, if I could find a suitable heir to the empire."

"Do you need help?" Sandersonia asked in earnest. Hancock contemplated saying 'no'. She was strong enough, her mind was clear enough. She could claim those things and punish anyone who didn't believe her.

"I-I do," she admits instead, clenching her fists. "I need help.

"Shall we help you bear the responsibility?" Marigold smiled.

"Yes…" Hancock whispered, "Yes, that would be… Good."

* * *

A.N.: Hancock's a total softie for her sisters~ Posted late, trying to catch up. FanFiction had a server error, and it was fixed just yesterday. **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! **Hopefully, I'll be able to deliver Sandersonia's one-shot in a few hours. I'll see you then!


	84. Sep 3- Boa Sandersonia

"ARGH!" Sandersonia cried out. Marigold… Marigold had burnt her. The fire was blazing and rendering her clothes to shreds. The pain was akin to that of her branding. Though it had been more than a decade ago, she could still remember it clearly… She stumbled backwards in the arena and toppled over the railing of the ring.

"Watch out, Sister Sonia!" Marigold cried, "That's the trench of spikes! Grab on to the railing!"

Sandersonia cursed that damned man who had gotten them into this situation. She reached for the railing near the audience, and grabbed hold just in time. She began panting heavily.

"T-that was close…" she gasped, her eyes grazing over the trench. Her cape was still burning. She could smell the dense smoke rising off of her. She needed to get out of that position quickly, she might get burnt… Suddenly, she felt a weight being dropped on her back, suffocating the flames.

"Argh!" the man cried in momentary pain. He had jumped on her?!

"You damned man!" she screamed.

"Don't move," he said quickly. "Even if you intend to kill me…" he continued, "I won't kill you."

"Don't get cocky, damn you!" she shouted, "Mari! Hurry up and kill him now that you have the chance!"

Her younger sister didn't move an inch, continuing to stare at the man who was spread out on her back.

"What are you doing, Mari?!" she cried.

"I can't, Sister Sonia," said Marigold, "Right now, that man is…Protecting us!"

"Look!" cried an audience member, "Sandersonia's cape has burned up! Her back is exposed!" Sandersonia froze. The mark. The brand. How had she been so ignorant?!

"If the man let of of her, the Gorgon's Eye will be exposed!" shrieked a different girl, terrified.

"This is horrible!" a Kuja warrior shouted, "Everyone who sees them will turn to stone!"

Sandersonia shut her eyes tight. No, it would be much, much worse. She'd be thrown off the island, and shamed for the rest of her life.

"You're covering my back?" she hissed at the man.

"You mentioned this earlier, right?" he murmured. "You'd rather die than let anyone see it, right? So don't move."

"The show is over!" she heard her older sister announce, "Before the Gorgon's Eye is exposed, everyone clear out the arena!"

The arena erupted into screams and the sound of thundering feet. Sandersonia felt herself calm down. She would be all right this time. She would be ok…

"You were just fighting me," Sandersonia muttered, "Why are you helping me now?"

"The thing you don't want anyone to see doesn't have anything to do with our fight," he replied, his voice soft and assuring.

Sandersonia's lip curled. He could have. They tried to kill him, he could've…

She heard Hancock sniff. And sob softly. He didn't. He didn't do it. This… This man had been kind to the Boa Sisters. He had saved them. And they… They'd tried to murder him.

* * *

A.N.: I really wanted to translate this scene because it's such a deeply emotional moment, and shows off the complexity of the Boa Sisters' predicament. As well, it's showcases Sandersonia magnificently, as she is the victim of the scene. **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and such appreciated! **I'll see you on the 5th for Crocodile and Boa Marigold!


	85. Sep 5- Crocodile and Boa Marigold

"Pirate King…" Crocodile muttered.

"What was that, Boss?" Daz asked.

"Nothing," Crocodile shook his head. He had recruited Daz 3 months ago, after much persuasion and offers. The man had finally succumbed after much persistence on Crocodile's end. Daz was stubborn, which was a trait that had proved much more useful once he'd joined forces under Crocodile. They were now traveling the desert, looking for another bounty hunter. A woman, named Paula. According to several reports, she possesed an insanely powerful Devil Fruit, and Crocodile was determined to add her to his arsenal. But the journey was long, and Crocodile had exhausted nearly every conversation topic he had.

"Daz," Crocodile began, hesitating.

"What?" Daz turned his steely glare onto Crocodile.

"When you were little," Crocodile broke off into a chuckle. This was ridiculous. "Did you ever have a dream?"

"Yes," Daz replied stoicly, "I once dreamt that all my teeth fell out. But they were okay when I woke up."

"That's… Not what I meant."

Daz raised an eyebrow.

"Ok," he mumbled thoughtfully. He snapped his fingers in realization and his eyes widened. "What about this," he said, "I once dreamt that I chopped off my own arm by accident, and had to go the rest of my life being called 'the One-Armed Bandit'!"

Crocodile found Daz's uncharacteristic enthusiasm rather humorous.

"No, no, no," Crocodile laughed, "Like…When I grow up, I want to be a Marine. When I grow up, I want to travel the world. That sort of thing."

"Hm," Daz grunted, "I suppose I did want to learn how to play guitar when I was little, but that dream died off pretty quickly." Daz smirked and his fingers morphed into shiny knives. "Why do you ask?"

Crocodile hummed in melancholy.

"Do you know the name Gol D. Roger?" he asked Daz.

"Who doesn't?" Daz replied, "Pirate King, conqueror of the Grand Line, and former possessor of the legendary One Piece? He's not exactly an easy person to forget, even if it _has_ been 21 years since his execution."

"So you know about the One Piece?"

"Yes, most people in our profession do." Daz raised an eyebrow.

"I wanted it," Crocodile confessed, "at 22 years old, I saw Roger declare that his succesor would be the one who found that legendary treasure. And then I saw him being stabbed to death. I wanted that treasure, I wanted to be Pirate King."

Daz looked at Crocodile, his eyelids half-open. He raised his face to the sky, and shut his eyes completely.

"You gave up?" Daz sighed.

"I made it to the New World, but the Yonko… They were strong. Nothing was stable. Everything was always spinning. The scales were always tipping. Sometimes the marines won the battles, other times the pirates. But nothing ever stayed the same. Not even the weather for more than 5 minutes," he added with a chuckle. "I hated it. I couldn't stand being out of control like that. A sand-man isn't a good fit for the ocean. I gave up. I came to Alabasta."

Daz snorted, and began laughing for good measure.

"You should've kept going," he said once he'd recovered.

"No, I'm happy where I am now," Crocodile smiled, "maybe one day though."

"Bring me with you when you do," Daz smirked, "I'd like to be known one day as first-mate to the second Pirate King."

* * *

Power was an obsession of Marigold's. Unlike her eldest sister Hancock, who was born with seductive charms, and her older sister Sandersonia, who was soft and emotional, Marigold craved the feeling of power. The feeling of strength, which marked the absence of weakness. She was the only one of her sisters who had embraced her Devil Fruit when it was force fed to her. Not to say that the act wasn't horribly disgusting, but it put a smile on her face to know that if she ever got the chance, she could _annihilate _those despicable World Nobles with just a squeeze of her newly bestowed tail. She'd sacrificed her slim figure for the build of a sumo wrestler without a second thought. Her mindset was strictly 'The bigger the better'. Haki was a magnificent discovery as well. The invincibility she felt as her skin blackened was indescribable. It wasn't even funny how jealous she was when she discovered Hancock could use Haoshoku Haki, which was just a tier above her own Busoshoku.

Power made Marigold feel untouchable. It made her feel as if the weakness that had plagued her as a 12-year old never exsisted. As if the brand that burnt her back meant nothing. As if nothing could hurt her anymore.

* * *

A.N.: Whoah! 7 minutes to midnight! It's my last weekend before I head off to school. Cut me some slack? Crocodile, I imagine, has a good relationship with Daz. After all, he went through the trouble to release him from Impel Down. I pictured them having this conversation at one point, and had to put it on paper. Marigold… Was difficult. Even for my favourite writing style (reflectional) I'd used up all my possible scenarios and topics on Hancock's one-shot. I hope it turned out alright? **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! **I'll see you tomorrow for Moria!


	86. Sep 6- Gekko Moriah

"Er, Master Moriah?" Hogback called through the door. The shadow master had locked himself in his room, and hadn't come out since breakfast yesterday.

"Go away," Moriah graoned, "don't you have zombies to experiment on?"

"No… Actually." Hogback grumbled, "You forgot to collect some new shadows for me."

"What's wrong with the ones you have now?" Moriah whined.

"I lost the majority of them in an accident…" Hogback trailed off, "Nothing major, and damage control was a piece of cake. But losses totalled to around 100 shadows."

"You're just determined to make me suffer, aren't you?" Moriah seethed, "I'll do it tomorrow, leave me alone."

"But—"

"Check the date, Dr. Hogback," Moriah hissed.

"September 6th— Oh. My apologies, Master Moriah..."

Moriah heard Hogback scurrying back to his lab. The man lost track of time easily in there. In large contrast to Moriah's own demeanour, it wasn't too much of a concern when Hogback didn't leave his workspace for days at a time. Moriah sighed and leaned his forehead against the wall. The cold stone of the castle felt cool to his skin. He turnt his head, and rested his temple on the wall. His vision of the paper on the section of wall beside him blurred, and he felt tears dripping down his face. Gone. Gone. Gone. Moriah closed his eyes.

* * *

"DAMN IT!" Moriah screeched, kicking over an iron bucket. He'd been forced to take shelter in an abandoned farmhouse. "All of them," he sobbed, "every last one…"

It had been 3 days since he had lost all of his sub-ordinates in the New World. He was the only one who had managed to escape the massive attack.

"Why?" he cried, staring at his palms. "Was I not strong enough?"

The shadows cast by the candle-light shivered, as Moriah bent them to his control. "Why couldn't I save them?" he screeched, closing his palm into a fist, effectively crushing the candles into clumps of wax. The room went dark. Moriah's light source had vanished, leaving him…

"Powerless," he muttered, sitting on a bale of hay. "Completely powerless."

Visions of his comrades flashed through his mind. His first mate's blood smeared across his face. A gleaming knife sticking out of his navigator's neck. His shipwright's severed arm still attached to the steering wheel. Moriah screamed, and threw himself to the ground.

"Nothing," he chuckled, "all for nothing. All that suffering, all that work, it was for nothing. All those sacrifices, what did they ever do?"

His birthday. It was his birthday today. September 6th. He was supposed to be enjoying cake, and reveling in festivities. Instead- Instead he was here. Nursing his wounds, and grieving.

"I REFUSE TO SUFFER ANYMORE!" he shouted, "THEY-They. They won't suffer either." He smiled. "They won't feel pain. They will not feel sadness. They won't feel grief. Emotionless zombies," he cackled. "Yes. I shall make it so."

* * *

When Moriah leaned away from the wall, he found that his tears had darkened the stone. He sniffed and walked backwards, to take in the full view of his mural. Dozens of wanted posters, bounties easily surpassing 100 million, decorated his wall. They depicted famous pirates who none knew better than Moriah, for they had been part of his crew. The paper of the posters were yellowed and peeling from age.

"That's not right," Moriah muttered, straightening out the paper's shadows. The posters rapidly followed suit. "Better," he smiled. He promised himself he wouldn't suffer anymore. He promised that his comrades and sub-ordinates would never suffer anymore. That had been years ago. The second promise had been fulfilled. But no matter how hard he tried to push it from his mind, every year on September 6th, he broke the first.

* * *

A.N.: Angst is my life-source. The giant leek needed some of it. **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! **I'll see you on the 9th for Basil Hawkins and Madame Shyarly!


	87. Sep 9- Basil Hawkins and Shyarly

"Let us see," he murmured, shuffling through his deck. This was something he had wanted to try seeing for a long time, but had never quite gotten around to. Or, rather he was scared to. It was not a question of whether or not Hawkins _believed_ in fate, rather it was a question of _why_. To blindly put one's faith into something no one has ever seen, heard, or met… It is what makes religion possible. Hawkins saw his cards and his belief in fate as the same. The difference was, his card predictions were incapable of being wrong. His Devil Fruit made it so. Which made what he was about to do all the more terrifying.

Hawkins finished his shuffling, and placed his deck on the desk in front of him. He took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. He kept the question in his mind, and repeated it over and over. 'What is the possibility that I will reach Raftel?' He drew six cards, and levitated them in front of him. He flipped over the first. 10 of clubs. Card of traveling. Hawkins relaxed. This was good. His journey would be pleasant enough.

He flipped the second card. Jack of diamonds. Card of transaction. This puzzled Hawkins. The card signified news. Good or bad. Hawkins would hear soon of a grand event. On Hawkins scale, and how close the card had appeared to the front, this news would most likely shake the world. Hawkins prayed that it was good news, or that it at least benefitted him.

He flipped the third card. 10 of hearts. Card of gathering. Meaning he should be expecting to join a large group of people soon. 'That can be interpreted in many ways' Hawkins mused, running his finger over the card. Assimilation was the most likely. But Hawkins had not gotten the card of loss yet, which would undoubtedly come before this. That would mean…

"Out of my own will?" he wondered. "I assimilate out of my own will?" That did not seem likely at all…

He flipped the fourth card. Ace of diamonds. Card of messages. Hawkins chuckled. So that's what that meant.

"An alliance, huh?" he mumbled. The ace of diamonds signified a union in business. 'I don't like the sound of that' Hawkins thought. 'Pirate Alliances end in a lot of treachery.'

He flipped the fifth card. 10 of spades. Card of-

"Grief," Hawkins muttered, "shit." Something bad would happen soon. Something that would cause pain and sadness. Most likely, it would be a loss of something. Object, comrade, dream. Hawkins thanked fate that it wasn't the 6th card, for that would indicate the loss of his own life. There was still hope.

He flipped the last card. King of Spades. Card of justice. Someone would become a leader, and it wouldn't be him. Hawkins wrinkled his nose. The cards had disobeyed him for the first time in a long while. They hadn't answered his question, only told his future. Hawkins sighed. He supposed it couldn't be helped. Fate had it's own way of revealing itself. He would try another time…

* * *

Shyarly couldn't sleep. Her nightmares, her _visions_, plagued her. She was the only soothsayer she knew who had no positive visions. She saw only things like flames and destruction. Death and despair. Strife and greed. And the worst part was? She had no way to stop it. She could not tell what time these events would happen, nor where, she just knew they would. And even if she could tell, fate would prevent her from doing anything about it. She hated her powers. She wished she could smash her crystal ball into pieces, but it was too precious to her. She had tried to overcome it, but every time she couldn't help but think 'What if someday I need it again?'.

She had tried to warn Whitebeard that he might die. The Yonko had laughed and said "We all do, Shyarly, eventually." It had been intensely discomforting. The one time she could actually warn someone of their fate, and the senile old man had rushed into battle with zeal. Of course, he had died, and Shyarly had weeped. The man had been good, and she could no longer stand to see her beautiful country in ruins. Charlotte Linlin was a horrible curse on Fishman Island. Shyarly had tried time and time again to see when she might leave, but to no avail. Her visions would not obey her request, so matter how hard she begged them.

The Fates had her swimming on a string. If she yanked for a vision, they yanked back harder, providing her things she did not wish to see. She was absolutely sick of being Lachesis's voodoo puppet alone. She wished she had the power to cut the string, but the rope was too thick, and her scissors of will too frail. She could only pray for a day wherein her powers finally overwhelmed her, and she was forced to put them to rest for her sanity.

Until then, she would try to stay away. She would not fortune-tell unless she absolutely had to, and even then she would try and be reluctant. But knowledge of the future was tempting, and she finally succumbed two years after Whitebeard's death. Her final vision was terrifying. Flames and madness swarmed Fishman Island. At the middle of it all, a boy wearing a straw hat. She had gone mad. She had ordered the boy in front of her to leave her country at once. But it had done no good. He was determined to stay. When he ended up saving Fishman Island, Shyarly could've cried out her relief. Her vision had been wrong. There would be no death in Fishman Island. But there was something in the back of her head that irked her. A voice that whispered 'Not yet, no death yet'. It drove her mad with temptation. This was the final straw. Her breaking point. She smashed her crystal ball into a dozen pieces, and swore she'd never get another. The Fates' strings had been cut. She would no longer be their messenger.

* * *

A.N.: Isn't it funny how the two fortune-telling characters in One Piece share a birthday? **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! **I'll see you on the 11th for Montblanc Cricket!


	88. Sep 11- Montblanc Cricket

"There's no use in staying, Captain," Andy whined, rubbing his eyes. Cricket's first mate yawned, and stretched his arms to the sky. The wood beneath his feet creaked as he shifted his weight. Andy leaned to look overboard, and rested his head on the railing of the ship.

"It's out here, I know it," Cricket muttered. Cricket had been diving since daybreak, and by now his hands were wrinkled as prunes. The water was beginning to get colder, but Cricket did not want to give up. It _had_ to be here. Somewhere.

"Noland's a liar," Andy said sleepily, "who cares?"

"He's not!" Cricket glared at his first mate. "The city of gold exsisted!"

"There's no proof," Andy rolled his eyes.

"Noland's journal," Cricket slapped the side of the boat. "How about that?"

"_Solid_ proof," Andy drawled, throwing a rope ladder down to Cricket.

"For Kami's sake, the guy was a botanist!" Noland cried, "You think he would justmake up all those plants and samples? For fun?!"

"No," Andy sighed, "but I don't see him picking them from imaginary lands of gold either. They must have come from a nearby island or something."

"You too?" Cricket frowned, "I thought you were my nakama."

"Look, Cricket," Andy started, "please just face the facts. There's no way an island could just magically dissapear without a trace. Noland was lying."

"It's the Grand Line," Noland said, "anything could happen."

"Cricket-"

Cricket cut him off by diving downwards. The water really was freezing now. It felt like ice running through his blood. 'If only I could find one thing, just one!' Cricket thought, finally reaching the ocean floor. He dug through the sand frantically. He was running out of air, and this may well be his last dive. The Log Pose was going to set today, and he would have to move on. His fingernails filled with grit as he pawed at the seabed. His chest felt tight; he had used his last bit of air. 'Come on, come on!' He suddenly caught sight of a gleaming object, poking out of the sand. Cricket swam towards it, but before he could reach it, his vision went black.

* * *

When Cricket regained conciousness, Andy and the rest of his crew were hovering over him.

"You're okay!" Andy broke into a wide grin.

"More importantly," Cricket sat up, "I saw something! An ancient coin, I think! I didn't get the chance to examine it closely, but I'm positive it's from the golden city! I'll go back to look for it again in an hour."

Andy looked at Cricket at if he'd lost his mind.

"The Log Pose is set, Cricket," Andy said grimly. "Enough with this talk about the golden city."

"It's fate, can't you see?" Cricket implored him. "The many paths in the Grand Line, and we end up in Jaya of all places!"

"You're insane," Andy narrowed his eyes.

"What? No!" Cricket protested. "I'm positive it's out there!"

"Make your choice Noland. Stay here and search for something that doesn't exsist, or contiue along the Grand Line with us."

"I-I can't leave," Noland said helplessly.

"Then that's that," said Andy, leaving Cricket on the sand and walking towards the ship.

"Get ready to sail!" Andy called to the rest of the crew. They hesitated, but began making preparations. Cricket watched them helplessly. He understood, they had their own dreams too. But couldn't they help him fulfill his own first?

* * *

A.N.: I don't know about this one, to be honest. I was considering just not posting anything for Cricket, but I ended up giving in. I'm not too proud of it, but it's something, right? **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! **I'll see you on the 16th for Laboon!


	89. Sep 15- Laboon

"They're not coming back," Crocus sighed, turning the page of his newspaper.

Laboon decided to ignore him. Obviously his caretaker was delirious. Crocus's old captain had died a few months ago; he was bound to be bitter. Laboon turned away from the Red Line, and swam a few kilometers back before rushing towards it at full force. _BANG!_

Laboon cried out in displeasure. The mountain remained solid as ever. Had Laboon actually chipped away at it at all?

"That's never going to work," Crocus muttered, turning over another page. Laboon squealed his protest and squirted him with water.

"AH-psshfwa pweh PWEH! What was that for?" the now dripping wet Crocus spat. Laboon gave him a look. As if he didn't know.

"It's been 25 years," Crocus moaned, "Give it a break will you?"

Never. Laboon would _never_ stop. _EVER._ He swam away from the Red Line once more, ramming into it again with all his might. The moutain didn't budge.

Laboon whined at it. Raftel, the Rumbar Pirates, they were all the other side of this stupid mountain! If only he had feet, or wings…

"I doubt they ever made it to Raftel," Crocus chuckled. "Roger was the only one who could achieve _that_."

Laboon smacked him with his tail. Crocus went flying into the ocean. Serves him right.

"Ok, I kinda deserved that," a spluttering Crocus admit, crawling back onto the lighthouse island. "But Laboon, remember how I traveled around the Grand Line for about 3 years?"

Labono begrudgingly grunted. The flower-headed doctor had left him all alone for that much time, of course he remembered. It'd been so dreadfully boring. It was during that time though, that he got the most hurt. Crocus was annoying and boring, but he _was_ the one who patched Laboon up most of the time…

"The Rumbar Pirates were completely obsolete there," Crocus continued, "There was no news about them, no gossip, nothin'! And their bounties stopped rising a long time ago… I think… I think they gave up. I think they went home…"

Home? No, they would have had to pass by Reverse Mountain to get home. It's almost impossible to get out of the Grand Line through the Calm Belts… Laboon would've known if they'd passed through.

"The Rumbar Pirates…" Crocus muttered, "they're cowards."

Laboon swatted Crocus again, but he stepped away from the attack, and looked Laboon in the eye.

"Please give up on them, and go visit Fishman Island or something. At least then you can be with your family."

Give up on them?! GIVE UP ON THEM?! Laboon screeched his anger, and smacked Crocus on the chest with his tail. The man didn't expect it, and went flying, his head cracking upon impact with the lighthouse wall. Laboon wailed, what had he done?! He nudged Crocus softly, and the man groaned. Thank goodess he was alive….

"I know you didn't mean to," Crocus winced, "ok you probably did. Let me fix myself up, will you?"

Crocus dissapeared into the lighthouse. About 8 hours later, he emerged, bandages wrapped tightly around his head. Laboon shut his eyes tight. He was sorry, he was sorry, he was so _so_ sorry.

"Oof," Crocus grunted, as he sat down on his bench. "I'm ok now, I've had worse. But I get it. You still have hope. That's alright with me."

Crocus smiled gently at the whale. Laboon crooned happily, splashing in circles.

"But you better cut it out with all your ramming!" Crocus warned, "At least just for a little while, until my head gets better. Kami knows you give me headaches even when my head _isn't_ split wide open!"

* * *

A.N.: It's Sep 15 where I am, but I bet it's the 16th somewhere! Posting early because I'm heading out of town for the next 3 days, and I'll be disconnected during that time. Hope you like this one! I'm kinda fond of it~ Laboon is an excellent character, and he shows off Oda's brilliance at pre-planning _perfectly_. Brook was introduced to One Piece a whole 7 years after our birthday whale, which just goes to show, Oda is beyond amazing at what he does. I hope I could do him some justice! **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated!** I'll see you on the 19th for Don Krieg!


	90. Sep 19- Don Krieg

"That bastard," Don Kireg muttered disbleievingly, "followed us?"

It was difficult to believe, but there was no mistaking it. Those sharp, yellow eyes, shadowed by the brim of a feathered hat. That famous black sword strapped to his back. The coffin shaped row boat. It was Mihawk, coming all the way from the Grand Line.

"What grudge do you have?!" screamed one of Krieg's crew. "To follow us even to the East Blue?!"

"I'm killing time," Mihawk replied, without so much as a glance in the other man's direction.

"DON'T MOCK US!" Krieg's underling screamed, firing 2 flintlocks at the swordsman. Mihawk hefted his sword with ease, moving so quickly that one could only hear the bullets ricocheting off and away from the meito blade.

Krieg felt his pulse quicken. Anger and fear coursed through him, his eyes twitching with heat. He could not believe his situation. He had been through so much already, and _still_ he was facing this monster of a Shichibukai?!

As much as he didn't want to admit it, Krieg could not stop shaking at the fact that Mihawk was here, and at this time especially. The man had _decimated _his entire fleet in a matter of seconds. What had taken Krieg years and years to build had vanished in an instant. I was like a nightmare, but the storm that night had made it so painfully and shockingly real. Krieg's skin still remembered the sting of those raindrops, and the crackle of that lightning. He still remembered how the weather had shifted from clear to despairing without even a hint. It was terrifying,

But with despair, came rage as well. It was unfair! They'd only been in the Grand Line for 7 days! Ho dare that bastard ruin all of Krieg's dreams?! What right did he have to destory Krieg's fleet?! Was he not a pirate too?! Di he not understand the way and the unspoken _laws _that bound them as criminals? He should've been _supporting_ Krieg in his endeavours.

When Krieg discovered that Mihawk had left the scene after slicing that green-haired boy to bits, he was especially enraged. The government's dog had just wanted to humiliate them. But mark his words, he would go back to the Grand Line and show him wrong. One day.

* * *

A.N.: The Baratie Arc is a bit fuzzy for me, since I read the manga in some bits and watched the anime in others. Hope this was sufficient, however.


	91. Sep 21- Kuzan (Aokiji) and Pappug

Pappug hopped off his stool and padded towards the bulletin board. The canvas stretched from wall to wall, ceiling to floor. It was covered with numerous cut-outs and pictures from magazines. You see, Pappug had hit a block. A very hard block indeed. He ran his hands over the many designs and colours, extending out his metal rod, that he might be hit with a bolt of inspiration. But nothing. His mind was completely blank.

"Damn it," he muttered, stepping away from the board.

Designer's Block. Of course, the original phrase was 'writer's block', but any creator, any artist, could be hit with the same dillema. A period of time, maybe a day, maybe a week, maybe a month, wherein the gears in their minds just stopped turning. The pieces just stopped clicking. Nothing the artist does can ram through this block, and they're left to suffer.

Usually, when Pappug hit these blocks, they would last about a day or two. Nothing major, just a bit frustrating is all. But this time, it had been a month since he'd last managed to scratch something worthwhile in his sketchbook. His clothing designs had become dull and repetitive. He had sunk to the levels of, dare he say it, a… common retail designer. Pappug shuddered at the thought. Criminal, his beautiful, prospering, thriving, brand name Criminal, would be torn down to nothing but sales racks and bargain buys. It was a nightmare he couldn't allow to come true.

"A muse," Pappug crossed his arms, "I need a muse."

Of course, every designer had someone who inspired him or her. Specifically, someone who could help them to create and inspire original designs.

"Yes," Pappug said, getting excited as the thought ran back and forth in his head, "I need a muse!"

The starfish threw on his coat and stepped outside. His swanky apartment leered over one of the busiest streets in Fishman Island. It was a real treat to peek outside and people watch. Pappug headed over to his favourite café. The bell jingled jauntily as he strolled through the door, and took his seat at a booth near the window.

"Hello sir, what can I get-Ooh!" the mermaid waitress squealed, and clapped her hands to her cheeks. "Aren't you just the sweetest little starfish!" she cooed, pinching Pappug's cheek.

"Hey now!" Pappug squawked indignantly, "Enough of that!"

"Marika," the waitress's co-worker called, "don't harass the guests!"

Pappug glanced over at his saviour, and his eyes widened. There, in a pink-tailed, green-haired glory, was his muse.

"Madame!" he cried, hopping over towards her, and taking her by the hand. "What is your name?"

"It's Keimi sir," she replied, smiling at him. "But sir," she broke off, tilting her head and gasping. "Could you.. Could you possibly be Monsieur Pappug of the Criminal Brand!?"

"Yes, that would be me," Pappug replied smugly, kissing her hand. "Enchanté, Mademoiselle. Would you care to join me for a quick snack?"

"Oh I'd love to!" Keimi exclaimed, "But I'm working right now…"

"It simply cannot wait!" Pappug cried, "How much do you make at the moment?"

"800 Beri an hour, Monsieur," Keimi replied, hesitating slightly.

"That's it?!" Pappug yelped, "No no! That won't do! You will work for me from now on!"

"I will?" Keimi said, confused.

"Yes! You will be my muse!" Pappug declared.

"Oh my!" Keimi clapped her hands together.

"And possibly feed me clams all day," he added sheepishly, "A fashion designer's got to eat. What do you say?"

"I just have one request!" Keimi said.

"What is it?"

"Will you teach about fashion design? "

"Of course! You shall be my muse, my feeder, and my apprentice. Now, let us get started right away!"

* * *

"So that's it, huh?" Kuzan chuckled darkly, breaking off into a bloody cough.

"Yes," replied Sakazuki, crossing his arms. "I applaud your effort, Kuzan."

"Right then, take it," Kuzan said, spreading his arms wide, opening up his chest. This was it. An honourable death. He only wished he could've done more…

"No," Sakazuki said, shaking his head.

"Really?" Kuzan asked, raising an eyebrow, "_Now_ you choose sympathy?"

"Do not mock me, Admiral Aokiji," Sakazuki snarled, lava dripping from his fingertips.

"Codenames, huh, _Akainu," _Kuzan sneered. "I thought this was a fight to the death."

"It was," Sakazuki said, each word clipped and professional, "until I decided you are much too valuable a man to just kill off."

"Valuable, huh?" Kuzan muttered, staring at the gap where is leg used to be. He waved over the scorched skin on his shoulder, covering it with a thin layer of ice. Relief hit him like a wave. He let out a long breath, and collapsed to the ground in a sitting position.

"What do you want from me?" he asked, closing his eyes.

"I want you to continue working as an admiral."

"Don't wanna," Kuzan yawned, stretching out and lying down.

"Why not?" Sakazuki grit his teeth.

"I'd have to work under you, right?" Kuzan sniffed.

"Yes," Sakazuki replied, exasperated, "you're aware of the significance of this duel, are you not?"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it, Mr. Fleet Admiral," Kuzan murmurred.

"So then? Why do you object to working under me?"

"Because I despise your version of justice," Kuzan cracked open an eye. Really, Sakazuki should just kill him now. They had been training and working together for over 20 years, and the man was still oblivious to his partners' thought process. Kuzan would not continue working for the Marines. That would not change.

"It's not as if anything will be changing," Sakazuki huffed.

"No," Kuzan laughed, "_everything_ will be changing, Sakazuki. You being at the top means a giant imbalance of power. What little moral justice exsisted in the Navy will be crushed under your rule. The world will shake under injustice."

"The real injustice is the fact that the Navy continues to allow pirates to run rampant in the Grand Line!" Sakazuki argued. Kuzan detected a large shift in the other man's emotional state. Kami knows what happened to this moron when he was younger, for him to grow up into this…this thing.

"And the world?" Kuzan taunted him, "Are you going to keep lying to the world too, Sakazuki? About how _everything is working out in the Navy's favour_ and how _everything is under control, and nothing is the matter_?"

"Nothing _is_ the matter," Sakazuki hissed.

"You've fooled yourself too, huh?" Kuzan sighed. "There's no helping you now."

Kuzan urged his ice to form into a prosthetic, which bonded with his leg. He tested his knees, and found that they were still functioning. With a grunt, he pulled himself to a standing position, awkwardly wobbling on his new, cold limb. He inspected the ice, and smiled.

"This will do," he hummed pleasantly.

"Let's go back to HQ," Sakazuki said stiffly, turning towards the direction of the boat they had arrived in.

"Sakazuki," Kuzan said. The other admiral looked back at him. "I'm resigning from my position."

"Fine," Sakazuki grunted, "Have it your way."

"What a cold response," Kuzan laughed.

"From you?" Sakazuki smirked.

"Got me there," Kuzan scratched the back of his head.

"I won't miss you one bit," Sakazuki grunted.

"I never imagined you might."

* * *

A.N.: I adore working with the Admirals. Pappug was a nice change up too. I kinda inflicted my troubles with Writer's Block onto him (haha), as to give you a tiny look into what the past week has been like. I'll go a little more into my explanation in the next chapter. Kuzan is so much fun, man. Him and Fujitora just give me tons of hope that the Navy will be cooperative one day. I hope that day comes eventually. **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated!**


	92. Oct 1- Oct List

Hello all you lovely, amazing people! Thank you for all your patience with me in this past week. It was tough for me, but your support really helped me through it. I can't express how grateful I am to you all. When I started this project, I knew writer's block would happen at one point; it was inevitable. I was really tempted to abandon this project, but you guys got me through it. So once again, thank you. To my darling reviewer Erika Peterson, whose patience has been tested this last week, your birthday fic. will go up sometime this week. That much I can say. It will be posted in an individual chapter, separate from the 21st. Thank you for your constant feedback, it warms my heart to read~

Now, October is a slightly less busy month. It's still killer, but compared to September, it'll be much easier. Here's our list! :

Oct 5- Dragon/Marco/Kokoro

Oct 6- Tashigi/ Law/ Bartolomeo

Oct 23- Doflamingo

Oct 24- X Drake

Oct 25- Koala

As you can see, 2 triple birthdate straight off the bat. Oh Oda, why must you torture me so? I've got some stuff jotted down though, so it should be a little lighter on me. Lots of important characters, including everybody's favourite Surgeon of Death, and Heavenly Demon. So look forward to that! If I've missed anybody important, please notify me by either PM or Review! I'll be sure to jot it down! **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! **I'll see you on the 5th for Dragon, Marco, and Kokoro!


	93. Sep 21- Erika Peterson (RB)

Robin had finally finished another long day at work. By her choice, of course. She felt grateful to have such an amazing job and office. In the last week, it had been near impossible to tear her out of the building. Her colleagues had recently returned from a dig, and they bore her many remains from the lost Skypiean Civilization. A field Robin happened to be particularly intrigued by. She was completely overwhelmed with samples. The janitor himself had to chastise Robin into abandoning her work to get some rest.

Robin threw on her raincoat, and slipped on some gloves.

"Goodnight, Peter," she called, waving at the elderly museum caretaker.

"Goodnight, miss," Peter replied, tipping his cap and continuing to sweep the dusty floors.

Robin opened the side door of the museum, and stepped out into the autumn night with a slight shiver. She tugged her scarf tighter around her neck, and made her way to the main street. Fortunately, the subway was but a 5 minute's walk from the museum. Robin crushed the dying leaves under her feet as she walked towards the the underground.

_Ting!_

Robin's phone went off, and she stopped. She reached into her purse and removed the device, swiping through the passcode. Peter had sent her a text.

"Miss," she read aloud, "you forgot your files on your desk. I thought I should let you know."

Robin contemplated turning back, and had only taken about 5 steps when she decided against it.

_I'll pick them up in the morning_, she texted back, _thank you for notifying me._

Robing turned back around, and stopped suddenly.

"Where did you come from?" she wondered aloud, staring at the brown-eyed dog in front of her. The brown spaniel barked at her, and wagged his tail. He had on a pink collar, with a white tag tangling in the front. Robin crouched down and reached for the tag when suddenly the dog bit her glove, tearing it off her hand.

"Give me that!" Robin laughed, trying to tug the glove from the spaniel's grip. But the dog held fast, and the glove ripped down the middle. Robin raised a stern eyebrow at him.

"That was _not_ necessary…" she glanced at the tag, "…Chopper. Is that your name?"

The dog yipped happily, spinning in circles. Robin sighed, and pat him on the head.

"As annoyed as I am about this," she muttered, holding up the mangled glove, "I can't just leave you here alone." She smiled. "Right then, you'll be going home with me tonight."

Chopper squirmed around in Robin's arms as she picked him up, and cradeled him. He settled down, and she continued walking to the station. She descended down the stairs to the turnstiles. The ticketer stared at Chopper as she swiped her card, and made her way to the other side.

"Excuse me ma'am," he called to her.

"Yes?" she turned around, giving him a seductive look. The ticketer stared at her red lips and rosy cheeks, and swallowed.

"You aren't permitted to have animals on the subway," he struggled, loosening his necktie.

"Oh!" Robin exclaimed, feigning surprise, "I'm so sorry, I had no idea!"

"I-I'll let it slide," he offered, adjusting his badge, "but just this time."

"Oh thank you!" Robin exhaled, giving him a wide smile.

"No problem, miss," the ticketer chuckled. Robin turned away from him, her expression darkening. The airheaded ditz was an amusing act to put on sometimes.

She stepped on to the escalator, and walked down towards her platform. Before long, her subway arrived, and she walked on, taking a seat near the door. Across from her was a man, his green hair slicked back, wearing a white t-shirt. The t-shirt was a rather odd and poor choice of clothing, consdering the weather outside. But, Robin had to admit; it did look pretty good on him. His head was in his hands, and he seemed to the point of tears. Suddenly, Chopper gave out a small bark, and jumped out of Robin's hands towards the stranger.

"Chopper?!" the man yelped, holding out his hands for the small animal. Chopper leaped into the man's lap, and began licking his chin with ferocity.

The man laughed, and held him tightly.

"Are you his owner?" Robin asked sternly. The man tore his gaze away from Chopper to look Robin in the eye. It was then that she noticed a thin scar going across his left eye, binding it shut.

"Er, yeah," the man replied, "Roronoa Zoro. You are?"

"Nico Robin," Robin replied primly, "I must inform you, your dog was out wandering the streets at-" she glanced at her watch, "2 in the morning. Quite dangerous for _anybody_, to be out at that time."

"And you?" the Zoro asked, "What are you doing on the streets near midnight?"

Robin bristled.

"I don't believe it's any of your business."

"Neither do I," the Zoro chuckled. "Thanks for picking him up. I've been looking for Chopper since 11 tonight."

"How did he get away?"

"Rascal ran down the stairs and out the door just as I was coming back home from work. Where did you find him?"

"Near the museum," Robin said. Zoro's eyes widened.

"But I'm on 11th street, and the museum is on 1st… How far did you go?" he asked Chopper, bewildered.

Robin sniffed, and folded her gloves.

"Oh jeez," Zoro said, taking notice of the torn fabric. "Did he do that?"

"Yes," Robin said, "but I don't mind."

"Look, let me pay you back," Zoro said, digging into the back pocket of his jeans and producing a ticket stub. Robin giggled, covering her mouth.

"Um," Zoro stuttered, "I seem to have forgotten my wallet, but I'll give you my number and-"

"It's quite alright," said Robin, smiling.

"No, it really isn't," Zoro huffed. "At least let me walk you home?"

"Sure," Robin said, surprising herself. She was usually much more secretive than this.

They reached Robin's stop- 6th street- and got off the subway. They emerged on the street, and Robin walked a few paces before turning around.

"You know," she began, "I'm just around the corner. There's no need for you to walk me all the way back to the station."

"I'll have to pay you back another way then," said Zoro, setting Chopper down on the sidewalk.

And suddenly, under the lampost of 6th street, Robin was swept off her feet and kissed. She held her arms to her chest, startled. When Zoro pulled away, she got to her feet, face and ears ablaze.

"Th-Th-that w-was," she stuttered, words failing her for the first time in her life.

Zoro scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"It's an old tradition in my culture," he explained, blinking his one eye.

"Mr. Roronoa," Robin chuckled nervously, "I am an archaeologist, and I can assure you that in _no_ culture is _that _gesture an 'old tradition'."

Zoro shrugged.

"Then how about an old tradition in a culture we both know?" he asked, smiling devilishly.

"And what might that be?" Robin asked.

"Dinner and a movie? Saturday, 7pm?"

"Absolutely not!" Robin cried, "How could I possi-"

"Just think about it!"

Zoro slipped his business card into her purse, scooped Chopper up, and ran down the stairwell to the Subway. And Robin thought about his offer all night long.

* * *

A.N.: And it's finished! This one-shot is dedicated to my lovely and enthusiastic reviewer Erika Peterson, whose comments warm my heart to the core. She asked for a ZoRo one-shot, involving Chopper as a lost puppy. As well as some and song lyric references, which I have done my best to include. I usually don't like to write ships, but this was an interesting challenge to take on, and I hope you enjoyed reading it, Erika! I'll see you all in the next chapter!

** A quick reminder that I will do a request one-shot for followers and subscribers who send in their birthday via Review or PM. I will ask for your request prompt around 30 days before your birthday, and the completed one-shot will be posted on the day of your birthday. If your birthday has already passed, send the date in anyways! I will post belated birthdays on the 2nd of January. I really just want to give back to all of you who have supported me and this project through so much. ****So please allow me to do this for all of you! Thank you!**


	94. Oct 5- Dragon, Marco, and Kokoro

And so he's done it.

"500,000,000 Beri," Dragon hummed, tapping the newspaper's headline. "You've grown up to be quite the pirate, huh Luffy?" Dragon chuckled. "I wonder how that happened."

"Dragon?" Ivankov knocked on the door.

"Come in," Dragon called. The okama entered his office. Dragon had to admire the queer's Devil Fruit Powers. Although he had just seen Ivankov an hour ago in a meeting, the okama had seemlessly transitioned into their female counterpart. Really, by this point it shouldn't surprise him. But he couldn't help but marvel as his colleague slunk towards the seat across from him, hips swaying.

"Is that him?" Ivankov asked, taking their seat.

"What do you mean?" Dragon asked, trying to maintain a stoic expression. Ivankov sighed, and fluttered their eyelashes.

"You know _exactly_ what I mean, candy boy," Ivankov whined, pointing a manicured talon at Luffy's new bounty poster. The boy was grinning widely, his pure joy painfully evident in the ink. For all Dragon was concerned, he looked about as threatening as a bunny rabbit.

"You should try smiling like him," Ivankov pouted, "maybe then all our recruits wouldn't be so scared of you."

"I wanted him to be a revoloutionary," Dragon mumbled.

"Hm? Well it's better than being a marine, isn't it?"

"I guess. Though I'm surprised he didn't go down that path what with Garp constantly pounding it in to him."

Ivankov laughed lightly.

"You Monkeys are one crazy family."

"A marine, a revoloutionary, and a pirate. All within 3 generations, mind you."

"You know," Ivankov began, "it's funny. Why didn't you ever tell me you had a son?"

"He was a vulnerability," Dragon frowned, "if the World Government ever found out I had family, _a child_ no less, I can't even imagine what might happen."

Dragon grimaced, thinking back to Portgas D Ace's death. He shook his head slowly.

"But he can take care of himself, can't he?" Ivankov grinned, creasing the paper under '500,000,000' with his fingernail.

Dragon smiled.

"I suppose so."

* * *

Marco was completely prepared. _No one_ would be getting the better of him today. Whitebeard's ship turned to hell if it was your birthday. Marco had already suffered through birthdays numbers 1 through 7 on the Moby Dick, and _none_ had been even _slightly_ pleasant. But today was his 10th birthday on the Moby Dick. And he was determined to avoid being pranked.

"Marco?" Thatch called, knocking softly on his door.

"GO AWAY!" Marco called back, "I'M WARNING YOU NOW!"

"Awww!" Thatch cooed, "Is the big bird—_Chicken?_"

Marco's eye twitched. That bastard.

"Nice try," he said, using all of his willpower to refrain from smashing the cook to pieces. "But I am not taking a step outside this damned cabin."

"Come on, Marco!" Ace called. Great. That crazy fire-fist was here too.

"Nope, not happening," Marco shook his head. "You try force your way in, and you're _toast_!"

"Hey!" Thatch protested, "My hair is off-limits for puns!"

"Puns, huh?" Ace chuckled, "_Toucan _play at that game!"

"Bring the _heat_, Ace," Marco laughed diabollically, "your mere flickers of fire cannot _match_ my immortal blue flames!"

"Ok, that's just lame," Ace sniggered.

"IT IS NOT!" Marco screeched, opening the door, and punching Ace in the face. But the fire-user dissolved into flames. _Shit._ Marco thought, as Thatch grabbed his other arm. Ace reappeared, and latched onto Marco's fist.

"NO! NO! NO!" Marco screamed as they dragged him towards the deck.

"Relax," Ace rolled his eyes, "it's a good surprise this time."

"It's _never_ a good surprise," Marco moaned, as they finally reached the deck. Marco squinted in the sunlight, his eyes finally settling on what looked like…

"A cake?" he asked disbelievingly. "Pops?"

Whitebeard stood proudly beside the 1 metre high, layered, and blue frosted dessert.

"You like?" he chuckled, his deep laugh shaking the Moby Dick.

"Yeah," Marco smiled, taking the knife that Izo handed him. He stepped towards the cake, and everyone around him backed up. Slicing into it slowly, he felt the blade hit something hard midway.

"No," he murmurred, "you wouldn't…"

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

Marco scrambled to switch forms as his crewmates cackled.

_BOOM!_

"This is not funny," Marco squeezed his eyes shut. The bomb had blown up both the cake, and a hole in his chest. "This is not funny at all."

"To you!" Ace exclaimed, "It's _quacking_ me up!"

"I will give you 3 seconds to get the hell out of my sight."

* * *

Kokoro took her first sip. The aggressive taste assaulted her taste buds, and she nearly spat it all out. But she forced herself to endure the fire blazing on her tongue. After the first few sips, she took a mouthful, swishing it around in her mouth. The alcohol licked at her throat, and she swallowed, sending a blaze down her esophagus. Seconds later, the airiness came. Her head felt light and fluffy, and she leaned back in her chair. Salty tears mixed with the spikes of alcohol, as Kokoro chugged half the bottle. Her mind dissolved into clouds, and she was slightly aware of Iceburg creeping up behind her.

"The hell do you want, brat?" she hiccuped, taking another swig from the bottle.

Iceburg paused, startled. Kokoro had never spoken to him this way. The sweet and docile woman he once knew had dissipated.

"What's wrong?" he asked, taking a seat across from her.

"You know exactly what's wrong, you son of a bitch," Kokoro cackled, staring out to sea. The porch creaked as a cat hopped up the stairs and onto Kokoro's lap. It was the stray tabby Kokoro fed each day.

"_As long as he doesn't cause any trouble_," Kokoro muttered, stroking the cat.

"_You can keep him,_" Iceburg sighed, finishing Tom's quote to whenever Kokoro found a new 'pet'.

Kokoro downed the rest of the bottle, and threw it off the porch. The noise of the bottle shattering startled the cat. He jumped up and off Kokoro's lap into the shack.

"He's gone too," Kokoro laughed, reaching into her cooler for another pint. The alcohol sizzled as she cracked it open.

"That's enough," Iceburg murmurred, trying to reach out for the bottle.

"Get lost," Kokoro mumbled, taking a deep sip. "You're gonna go too, I just know it. Do it now. Do it now so I can hurt all at once."

Iceburg sighed, stepping back.

"Tom is gone," he said, holding up a finger, "and Flam is gone," he said, holding up another. "Tom's Workers is gone too," he added, lifting another finger. "But I'm still here. And I won't leave. I promise."

"Better not," Kokoro slurred, finishing off another bottle.

"Will you sober up if I leave you by yourself?" asked Iceburg.

"No," Kokoro giggled, "I don't quite think I'll ever choose to be sober again."

* * *

A.N.: Cutting it close at 11pm, but it's still the 5th! Anyways, I didn't really know what to do with Dragon, because I didn't want to impose on canon-yet-to-come. So, I did a reflective-interactive piece with Ivankov because I _adore_ their relationship. Of course, for Marco, I had to continue the 'Whiteboard Prank Party' tradition, stemming from Jan 1 on Ace's birthday. I hope those puns weren't _too_ cringe-worthy. I took one look at Kokomo's wiki page, saw that she was officially recorded as an alcoholic, and pretty much just knew exactly what I wanted to do. Hope it wasn't too much of a bummer, but I really wanted to create that 'slipping' scene, where it all just goes downhill. That was really fun to do. **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated!** I'll see you tomorrow for Tashigi, Law, and Bartolomeo!


	95. Oct 6 (i)- Tashigi

Tashigi was in the midst of practice when Smoker entered the training room. She hit the straw dummy once last time before placing her shinai back in its stand. She toweled off her face as she jogged towards her superior.

"Tashigi," Smoker addressed her.

"Yes sir!" Tashigi answered, saluting him.

"Good work today," he said. Though the praise would seem minor to anyone else, Tashigi knew that Smoker rarely used those words, and that they were to be treasured.

"Thank you, sir," she replied, smiling.

"Now," Smoker cleared his throat, "I understand that in joining the Navy you had a goal?"

"Err, yes," Tashigi said sheepishly. "I want to retrieve all the Meito being used by criminals." Her dream seemed almost childish to admit. To collect all the Meito would be amazing, but it would mean going up against Dracule Mihawk for the famous Saijo O Wazomono Yoru. Just the idea of going against a Shichibukai made Tashigi nervous.

"Hm," Smoker muttered, "would this be of use, then?"

He ducked to the side of the door, and retrieved a long package wrapped in brown paper.

"That's can't be…" Tashigi muttered.

"It's a katana, alright," said Smoker, placing the package in Tashigi's hands.

Tashigi tore open the package, revealing a white sheath and green handle.

"Shigure," Tashigi breathed. "This is one of the of the Meito!" she exclaimed, eyes widening. "I can't-surely someone else-this isn't-" she stuttered, baffled by the gift.

"We found it in a raid about a week ago," said Smoker. "I don't use katana," he said, gesturing to the seastone-tipped jitte strapped to his back. "And none of the other captains do either. We figured it would be best if you had it."

"This… This is mine?" Tashigi asked, unsheathing the katana. God, it was gorgeous. The metal shimmered in the dim light, and flickered about as Tashigi tested the blade's weight. The difference between shinai and a real katana was astounding. Tashigi felt capable. She felt powerful. Her nervousness vanished. She felt confident.

"Are you sure I can have it?" she asked once more.

"Just take it," Smoker smirked, "it's already taken a liking to you; I can see that much."

Tashigi smiled, and gripped the handle harder.

"Happy birthday, by the way," Smoker called, strolling back to the base office.

"Oh," Tashigi blurted, dumbfounded. Was that what the occasion was?

* * *

A.N.: I hit some blocks with Bartolomeo and Law, so please expect them to be posted tomorrow or the day after.


	96. Oct 6 (ii)- Bartolomeo

Bartolomeo had never been too caught up with world affairs, always preferring his backwater alley gossip. News on pirates was somewhere in between, so of course Bartolomeo had caught some snippets. _'Straw Hat Defeats Krieg'_ and _'Arlong Collapses at Straw Hat's Hands' _were recent buzz topics. The members of his mafia were all over the guy. Personally, Bartolomeo couldn't care less. Pirates and gangs didn't exactly sail the same waters, in a manner of speaking. As long as this 'Straw Hat' didn't mess with Bartolomeo's set-up, all would be well.

He was scouting out new members at Loguetown. Loguetown was often the point where most pirates became intimidated by their stronger opponents and slunk back home. Bartolomeo liked to target those guys especially, since they often deemed themselves weaker than they actually were. They were always ready to grab onto any bait they were handed; anything to avoid admitting defeat.

He was strolling through the town square when he saw a demonstration going on at the execution tower. The wind was blowing fiercely, but the demonstrator and his 'victim' were bent on continuing the act. Bartolomeo squinted, and could just barely make out the executioner's shock of blue hair and the victim's yellow hat. Yellow? _Straw Hat?_ Bartolomeo thought, his eyebrows drawing together. He shrugged. None of his business. But even though he intended to walk away, his feet stood frozen in place. A crowd had begun to gather, all awaiting the boy's death. Bartolomeo looked more closely, and realized that the executioner was _not_, in fact, a marine. Rather a pirate. A captain by the looks of it. _A pirate's feud, huh?_ Bartolomeo mused.

"Any last words?" the blue-haired pirate asked, "We have quite the crowd gathered."

The boy frowned. The pirate's heel was digging into his hat. It looked awfully degrading.

"Well, well, looks like you're speechless," the pirate chuckled, swinging his saber back and forth. "You _are_ about to die after all."

The boy pouted. He took a deep breath, and screamed.

"I AM THE MAN WHO WILL BECOME THE PIRATE KING!"

The murmurring crowd fell dead silent. Bartolomeo included. This kid! What was he thinking?! Of all the last words he could've chosen, he chooses those?

"It's about time to end this, don't you think?" the blue-haired pirate asked, as the boy fought against the weight of his foot.

"THIS EXECUTION IS CANCELED!" two voices rang out, and the entire crowd tuned around. Behind them was Pirate Hunter Zoro and some blonde guy. The crowd flew into a panic, dividing themselves to leave a pathway from the men to the execution platform. Another beautiful pirate commanded her forces to oppose them. Bartolomeo watched in awe as the two began smashing their way through the waves of opponents, taking out 3, 5 at a time!

"ZORO!" the boy screamed, "SANJI! USOPP! NAMI!."

The boy's voice commanded attention. Every eye was on him. Bartolomeo found it impossible to look away. The boy smiled widely, as the blue-haired pirate raised his sword.

"Sorry," he grinned, "I'm DEAD."

The blad came whistling down.

_Crck…__**BANG!**_

Out of nowhere, a bolt of lightning shot down, electrocuting the platform. The blue-haired captain's body convulsed, his limbs splitting apart. But the boy. He remained untouched, smiling throughout the entire thing. The execution platform's scaffolding began tilting. It's crash to the ground was eerily silent. No one could say a thing. A straw hat floated down from the sky, landing softly on the ground. The blue-haired man was still twitching as the boy emerged from the rubble.

"Hey!" he laughed, "I'm alive!" He picked up his hat. "I'm OK!"

The crowd could only stare, wide-eyed. The boy trotted over to his companions, laughing all the way. The three ran out of the plaza, chased by both marines and pirates. Bartolomeo stood standing there.

"Incredible," he breathed. The boy was not _boy_. He was a god. A miracle. He was divine and holy. Worthy of worship.

* * *

A.N.: A little life-changing scene from Barto's P.O.V. I remember when I realized how amazing One Piece _truly_ is… **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated!** Law will come next!


	97. Oct 6 (iii)- Trafalgar D Water Law

Soft hands brushed the hair out of his face. An old shanty tune was being hummed, and his covers were slowly being pulled off. Law resisted the urge to shiver. Flevance could get cold in the mornings. But he musn't move. Or he would be forced out of bed. The tune stopped.

"Law," his mother whispered, caressing his face, "wake up."

He froze. _I can't hear her, I can't hear her. I'm asleep. Fast asleep._

"Law," she said more forcefully, "you have to go to school."

Law didn't move. If he stayed quiet, maybe she would let him have 5 more minutes.

"Lamie's already up," she said, hands ghosting down to his sides. "You have to take her to school, even if you don't want to go."

Law didn't move an inch.

"Hm," she mused, "fine then. Lamie!" she called.

Law's younger sister came running into the room. With a giggle, she jumped on to the bed, and began bouncing up and down.

"WAKE UP!" she squealed. Law moaned, flipping over and slamming his pillow around his ears. But Lamie's laughter pierced through the fabric and he gave up.

"Alright! Alright!" he admit, "I'm up!"

He sat up in his bed and groaned, rubbing his eyes.

"That's my boy," his mother cooed, fussing with his hair. Law sighed and bobbed away from her hands, hopping off the mattress and padding towards his closet.

"You don't usually oversleep," his mother said, examining his desk. "Were you up last night studying?"

Law winced, and looked at her guiltily. Lamie laughed and began skipping around the room.

"Brother's in trouble, brother's in trouble," she sang, taunting Law.

"Lamie," her mother sighed, "your brother's not in trouble." She looked at Law sternly. "But I don't approve of his unhealthy sleep habits, even if they are for academic puproses."

Law unhooked his uniform from the inside of the closet, and began putting on his dress shirt. He'd managed his pants and coat, but…

"Your tie?" his mother sighed, holding out her hand.

"Yeah," Law muttered sheepishly.

"You know how to do it yourself," his mother said, hooking it around his neck, "why don't you?"

"Because it feels weird when I do it," Law muttered, as his mother pulled the knot tight.

"There," she said, fixing his collar.

"Thank you," said Law, walking to his desk. He picked his hat off the arm of his chair, and placed it firmly on his head.

"Must you _always_ wear that silly thing?" his mother sighed, adjusting it.

"I like it," he protested, "and it was you who gave it to me anyways."

"Your lunch is in the kitchen," his mother smiled, handing him his backpack. Law frowned, and dug through his sack.

"Where's my scalpel?" he asked.

"It's not in there?" his mother asked, feigning surprise.

"No," Law grumbled. This was ridiculous. The curfew on his studies was already troublesome, but now they were confiscating his tools too?

"Maybe your father's seen it," she hummed, lifting her finger to her bottom lip in thought.

Law rushed to the dining room, where his father was eating his breakfeast and reading the morning paper.

"Papa," he asked, "where's my scalpel?"

His mother and sister filed in behind him.

"Your scalpel, huh?" his father mused, setting down the paper. "Would this be it?" he asked, handing Law a leather case.

Law opened the case. Inside, were 3 gleaming objects. A silver set including a scalpel, forceps, and dissecting scissors.

"Um…" Law said uncomfortably, "these are new, aren't they?"

"Yes," his father replied, smiling, "and they're yours, aren't they?"

"Are they?" Law asked, eyes widening.

"Happy birthday, son," his father grinned.

"Happy birthday big brother!" Lamie cried, pouncing on him.

"Urk!" he choked, "Lamie! Careful!"

Law gripped the leather case tightly.

* * *

"Lamie," he muttered, eyes shut tight, "careful…"

"Law! Law!"

Rough hands shook him awake. Law blinked blearily. Once his vision cleared, he realized Corazon was hovering above him. His forehead was creased with worry. Law sat up straight.

"It was a dream," he breathed, gripping his leather case.

"What happened?" Corazon asked.

"Nothing," Law said, "nothing at all."

* * *

A.N.: And that's October 6th! I debated for a while between angst and fluff, and decided on both~ Hope you liked! **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated!** I'll see you on the 23rd for Doflamingo!


	98. Oct 23- Donquixote Doflamingo

Doffy had not been right in the mind since he'd returned from killing Rosinante. The minute he had set foot on the ship, he had burst into laughter. Which, even considering his standards, was utterly bizarre. Trebol and the other ranking officers were, of course, terrified. They respected Doffy, and believed him to be a powerful man, but a sane man would not just _kill off_ his brother like Doffy did. For Doffy to murder his most trusted companion (not to mention blood-relative) so easily, the officers were now wondering how much more easily might Doffy kill them?

So the officers distanced themselves, leaving Doffy to meander around the ship as he pleased. Of course, they had warned the younger officers to do the same, but the children were never ones to listen anyways.

"Young Master?" Sugar squeaked, trailing after Doffy. The man had decided he was hungry, and was stepping into the kitchen.

"Young Master?" Sugar repeated, tugging on Doffy's feathered coat.

"What do you want?" Doffy turned around, smiling at her. His expression was unreadable under dark sunglasses, and Sugar was left to wonder what could possibly be running through his mind.

"Trebol put my grapes on the high shelf in the fridge, " she pouted, "could Young Master maybe help me reach them?"

"No, he cannot," Doffy replied promptly, turning away from her and opening a cabinet. "Such a useless little girl you are," he tutted, "can't even get herself a snack. Do it yourself, or jump off the ship."

Sugar froze.

"Is Young Master being serious?"

"Very," he nodded, "if you can't get those grapes within an hour, I will personally fling you into the Grand Line Sea."

Sugar huffed, and cracked open the fridge. She clambered up the shelves until she reached the highest shelf. She hopped to the ground, grapes in hand, and stuck one on each finger.

"You can't have any," she stuck out her tongue, and pranced out of the kitchen.

"Didn't want any," Doffy muttered, "now where does that dumb cook put all the bread…"

"Young Master," Baby 5 said timidly, peeking out from the doorway. "Can I help you with anything?"

"There's a good child," he mumbled, absent-mindedly patting her on the head, "find me the bread."

Baby 5 nodded excitedly, and began scouring the cupboards.

"Found it!" she exclaimed, handing the loaf to Doffy who grinned.

"That will work nicely," he said, "good job."

Baby 5 beamed as Doffy sliced the bread into equal pieces.

"This is whole wheat," Doffy remarked, "I wanted white."

"Oh!" Baby 5 said, tugging at her curls, "I'm sorry Young Master, you didn't mention-"

"I shouldn't have to," he interupted her delicately, throwing the slices at her. Baby 5 squeaked in alarm, and stepped to the side, allowing the bread to drop to the floor.

"Take that to the cook, tell him it's awful," said Doffy, opening another cabinet. "I don't want to see any other bread but white on this ship ever again."

Baby 5 picked up the slices meekly, and scurried out of the kitchen.

Doffy returned to rifling through the cabinets, finally spotting some white bread tucked behind a bag of flour.

"Young Master," Buffalo said, entering the kitchen, "I'm going to get some ice cream."

"Go ahead," Doflamingo muttered, chomping down on a slice of bread.

"So Young Master likes to eat when he's upset?" Buffalo giggled, "Same with me. Except I also eat when I'm happy. And when I'm sad."

"I'm not eating for myself, I'm _spiting him_," Doflamingo scowled, chewing on the crust of the bread. Rocinante hated bread. This'll show him.

"There's something here with your name on it," Buffalo giggled.

"Is there?" Doffy grumbled. He wasn't exactly in the mood for games, but Buffalo had yet to notice.

"Here," Buffalo grunted, heaving a white box from the fridge, and setting it on the countertop. Doffy opened the box.

"It's a cake," Doffy said, swiping a finger through the frosting.

"I guess it's for your birthday," said Buffalo, "but I kinda want some."

"Here then," said Doffy, picking up the cake and slamming it into Buffalo's face. The frosting went flying everywhere, and the cake fell to the floor.

"Delicious!" Buffalo chirped, licking his icing-covered lips.

"I'm glad you like it," Doffy grinned.

* * *

A.N.: I've been in a very odd mood lately. I guess I channeled it into this one-shot by accident. **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! **I'll see you tomorrow for X Drake


	99. Oct 24- X Drake

He did not hesitate when he fled. The great cage of strings had settled around Minion Island, enveloping his father's base. Diez Barrels and his crew's cries were echoing throughout the town. Drake knew that he was _supposed_ to feel rotten. He was _supposed _to feel guilty for leaving his father behind to be murdered. But he thought back to the happenings just 6 hours earlier, and they steadied his mind. No, he was completely justified in his escape.

* * *

"Get over here, Dory," Barrels called, beckoning his son over. Drake padded towards him, wary of his father's big, calloused, and brutish hands. His father was perched on a wooden crate, holding the Ope Ope no Mi.

"What exactly do you think this is?" Barrels asked, holding the treasure out for his son to see. Drake examined the fruit. Heart-shaped and red, it was a hypnotising thing to look at.

"That's a Devil Fruit, father," Drake answered, shuffling in place.

"Of course it is!" his father snapped. "What kind of Devil Fruit do you think it is?"

"I wouldn't know father," Drake replied, and as the words left his mouth, he prepared himself for retribution.

_SLAP_

Drake held his stinging cheek, and looked down at the floor.

"Don't give me an attitude, boy," his father snarled, kicking him in the chest and knocking him to the floor.

Drake curled up, trying to make himself smaller.

"Look at me, boy!" Barrels growled, yanking Drake up by his hair, "If you're going to take over this crew one day, you have to know how things work around here. Do you understand?"

"Yes father," Drake whispered, exhaling out of relief when his father released him from his grip.

"This," his father gestured at the fruit, "is worth a lot of money. So much money, in fact, that the Marines-" he spat the word 'Marines'.

Drake frowned. It had not been so long ago that his father was part of the group that he was now actively working to spite as a pirate.

"The Marines," his father cleared his throat, "are willing to pay us a considerable sum for it."

"What do you mean, father?" Drake asked, tilting his head.

"They're coming here today," Barrels grinned, "we're doing the exchange at midnight."

Drake bit his lip.

"Father, please, this sounds like a trap."

"Are you mocking me, Dory?" his father growled, "As if the Marines would try and trick a powerhouse like me. Besides, even if they had the nerve, the Barrels Pirates outnumber them by far."

"Father, the Marines are strong, I don't want you-"

Barrels fist came flying at Drake's face. It connected with his jaw with a resounding crack. Drake caught a glimpse of his father's face. It was dark, and unsmiling. How dissimilar he was to the man Drake had once loved and admired…"How dare you insinuate that I might even have a chance of losing," Barrels snarled, "You're no son of mine. Get out."

Barrels pointed at the door, and Drake scrambled towards it. He began running to outskirts of the island. He had no doubt in his mind; his father would lose for sure. He had to escape. He couldn't stay here any longer.

* * *

Drake looked up at the pink figure, swinging through the sky on invisible strings. That person would be responsible for his father's demise-to-come. His father. The man he'd spend the majority of his life looking up to and following. Somehow, he couldn't care less that the man was about to die. Perhaps, he might have even felt relieved.

* * *

A.N.: F_un fact- The 'X' in Drake's name is pronounced 'Diez'. His father's name is Diez Barrels. _Drake's abuse as a child was the main motivation for this piece. I hope I've handled it appropriately, and if not, please don't refrain from pointing it out to me. **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! **I'll see you tomorrow for Koala!


	100. Oct 25- Koala

"Koala!" Jinbe called her. Koala trotted over to where Jinbe was sitting. A few of the crew had began playing a dice game, and were gambling over leftover loot. Jinbe, in particular, had been having a rough time. He was no longer even in the running for a small portion of the treasure. No, he was in _debt_, and it was certainly not one he'd be able to pay off anytime soon. Unless…

"Here," Jinbe said, holding out his cupped hands for Koala to see. 3 ten-sided dice rested in his palms. Koala shifted uncomfortably. She didn't quite know what he was expecting her to do.

"J-Jinbe-san," she stuttered, "wha-"

"Give 'em a quick puff," Jinbe grinned. He blew on the dice to demonstrate.

Koala did not understand the purpose of this gesture. But the fishman looked at her encouragingly, and she exhaled softly on the dice.

"Aw, that's not gonna cut it!" Jinbe goaded her.

"Face it, you poor bastard!" Macro jeered, "No luck is going to save your ass now!"

"M-Macro!" Hachi hushed him, "Language!"

Even Koala had to roll her eyes at that. Hachi tried his best, but the Sun Pirates were foul-mouthed. The Celestial Dragons didn't quite have squeaky clean tongues either.

"Give it a go, Koala," Jinbe prompted her, "like you're blowing down a house or something."

Koala inhaled deeply, and blew as hard as she could onto the dice.

"That should do it!" Jinbe exclaimed, closing his hands around the dice and shaking them. He let the dice roll, and they tumbled across the deck. They finally reached a stop at the steering wheel.

"Go over and see, Koala," said Hachi. Koala crawled over to where the dice had landed and knelt down to see. All three dice had the same face visible: 10.

"It's 30!" Koala called.

"_WHAT?!"_ Macro exclaimed, stalking over to the dice. "Are you kidding me?! How is that even possible?!"

"Oh-ho-ho!" Jinbe chuckled, "Not just any luck could've saved my ass! That's Koala's magic right there!"

Koala smiled bashfully.

"I'll see to it that you get your reward, little one," Jinbe laughed, patting Koala on the head.

"Unbelievable!" Macro moaned, "I bet you cheated you big loaf! There's no way-"

"But, but," Hachi muttered, "30 points means he gets-"

"The whole pile of treasure!" Jinbe beamed.

"Koala!" Macro cried, "You have to help me get him back! That was my last chance for allowance! Tiger's banned all spending money!"

Koala shrugged. She hadn't done anything in particular.

"Are you willing to raise the stakes?" Jinbe raised his eyebrows michieviously.

"Sure as hell I am!" Macro declared, "Winner gets all the treasure, plus the loser's dessert for 4 weeks!"

"Count me out," said Hachi, "We're having pudding tomorrow, and I haven't had any in _ages_."

"Just you and me then, Macro!" Jinbe declared. "What do you say, Koala? You willing to test our luck?"

"Sure!" said Koala, excited to see how this might turn out.

"Right then!" Macro announced, "Another round it is!"

* * *

A.N. Koala is such a sweet character, and I love her interactions with the Sun Pirates. It was supposed to be Koala-centic, but it kinda splayed out because of the dynamics of the crew. In any case, I hope you enjoyed!

And so that brings a close to our October Birthdays! That busy autumn in mercifully over, and I couldn't be more glad! It's been rough keeping up, but I'm looking forward to working on my other projects now! I'll see you in the next chapter for an… Interesting development~ **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! **


	101. Oct 26- iiangelofmusicii

Today is October 26th. What might seem like a normal, average day that just happens to be close to Halloween, is actually a very special day for this account and I. Because today marks the 1 year anniversary of me posting my very first fanfiction on this website.

That is unbelievable. It is honestly shocking to me. I had no idea that time would pass this quickly, or that I wouldn't even notice it go by. I am thrilled that I have made it this far. And that is all thanks to you guys.

Without all of you, I would have never kept going. I would have stopped. I would have given up. But you've all motivated me, and encouraged me every step of the way. (This is going to get really clichéd in a sec, but hang in there!) I cannot thank you enough for all the support throughout this past year.

I'd like to look back on some of the things you guys have done. Some statistics if you will. In the last year on this account, I have had a total of:

9 Fanfictions

112, 337 Words

157 Reviews

152 Subscriptions

141 Favourites

Those numbers are incredible. They are insane, even. And I could not have done it without all of you. Again, thank you so much. I love you all. I hope you continue to enjoy reading my fics. just as much as I enjoy writing them.

Happy Birthday, iiangelofmusicii.


	102. Nov 1- Nov List

Hello! And welcome to the second last month of Happy Birthday, One Piece! November is relatively tame compared to the other autumn months. However, it's still packed with some incredible people to celebrate! Here's our list:

Nov 3- Keimi

Nov 5- Fisher Tiger

Nov 11- Zoro and ObscureWriter

Nov 19- Benn Beckman

Nov 20- Bepo

Nov 23- Borsalino

Very balanced as you can see. Expect at least 1 one-shot every week or more~ We have a Straw Hat birthday this month, belonging to no other than Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro! And whilst all the Straw Hats hold very dear places in my heart, Zoro was my first love (^_^). It just so happens that he shares his birthday with one of my most lovely readers: Obscure Writer, whose dedication to this fic is so great that they've created multiple, stunning fanarts of the shots in this story. Their fanart warms my heart, and I can't wait to warm theirs with their request shot~! **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, ****Reader Birthdays****, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! **I'll see you in 2 days for Keimi!


	103. Nov 3- Keimi

"You have got to be kidding me," Pappug grimaced. "This has got to be the…what? Seventh time this month?"

"Ahehe!" Keimi laughed nervously. She tried to sit up, but slipped on the various amounts of fluid swishing around her. She wrenched her hands into the fleshy ground beneath her, and tried to push herself up. But she had gripped a bit too hard, her fingernails biting into the plump floor. The dark cavern they were in convulsed, and with a deafening groan, Keimi and Pappug were tossed around.

A giant fish had swallowed the pair. Speifically, the Kowarui. Its name was actually rather ironic. For a fish named 'Little Trouble', the baracuda was ginormous. Pappug and Keimi were settled in his stomach, and they still had enough space to stretch out comfortably. Keimi imagined that the cavern was easily the size of a house. Perhaps even the Mermaid Café could fit within the beast with room to spare. However, Madame Shyarly's customers might not take so kindly to that. Keimi giggled lightly, imagining the shark woman beckoning in patrons from the beast's toothy maw.

"This isn't funny," Pappug hissed. Keimi stopped immediately. Her teacher was right. Hachi was gone for the month. He was visiting the surface for a bit. With no one to save them, what exactly were the two in for?

"Well it can't be worse than Omachi!" Keimi said optimistically. They'd been stuck in the Omachi sturgeon for about 3 weeks, living off scraps of the fish's half-digested meals. It hadn't exactly been pleasant.

"Don't jinx us!" Pappug cried, taking her fisted hand, and slamming it down on a piece of driftwood. Keimi yelped and shook out her battered hand. Honestly, the starfish was too superstitious.

"I don't think that counts," Keimi huffed, "it's not really wood.

"Bah!" Pappug spat, "It all comes from trees…"

Keimi sighed. They would get out. Eventually. Regardless if she acidentally cursed them or not.

* * *

A.N.: (•ˋ _ ˊ•) So…They've been shorter before. Hope it's an alright changeup from the longer stories. **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated!** I'll see you next time for Fisher Tiger!


	104. Nov 5- Fisher Tiger

Back against the door of the cabin, Tiger slid down to his knees. He was big-bodied, but more than anything right now, he wished he were small. Small enough to hide away from the problems of the world. Small enough to fit in someone's shirt pocket. Small enough to float away in a boat made of peashells. Little. Tiny. Miniscule. He pulled his knees close to him, and rested his head in them. He wanted to melt into the wood of the boat. He wanted to feel all his efforts and worries bleed out of him. He wanted to be released.

"Tiger?" Koala knocked on the door. Tiger closed his eyes. _Let me be, little one. _

"Dinner," she called. Tiger didn't budge.

"Tiger? Are you okay?"

_No little one. I am not okay. Go now._

Tiger rose and padded to his bed, curling up once more.

"Tiger?" Koala stepped into the room.

"Why did you enter, Koala?" Tiger grumbled. "You're disturbing me."

"You didn't say anything," Koala murmured. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Tiger said gruffly. He rolled over to look at Koala. The girl seemed much better now. It had been 9 since she'd been rescued. Her hair was softer, and her face free from marks and scratches. The most significant change, however, was the brand on her back. Tiger could see it now, poking out the top of her sundress. It was ugly. Red and blistered, the skin slightly raised like dough. He had scarred her. His actions were justified, of course, but it sickened him. That this small thing of a girl had been wrenched from her home, and had been subjected to the terrors of the world.

"Koala?" Tiger asked. Koala jumped, eyes widening. Tiger had never began conversation with her unless he had to.

"Yes?"

"What do you think will happen in the future?" asked Tiger.

"Future?"

"Yes, your future."

"Mine. I have a future..." Koala smiled. The idea seemed to please her. "I don't know what's going to happen. But I think I'll be okay from now on. I'll be big one day, and I'll be okay. "

Tiger met her gaze. Her eyes were shining. She was strong. Stronger than him. Small as she was, she was anticipating the world excitedly. How fate had a sense of humour! The big, scary fishman who wanted nothing more than to become small was in the company of the small girl who was waiting anxiously for her own growth.

"Don't forget that you said that," Tiger sighed, "Don't be like me. I'm scared of the future, you know that? So don't be like me."

"It's okay, Tiger," Koala said, approaching the fishman. "I'll be here."

She held his hand. Her palms were tougher than Tiger's from all the brutal work she'd been forced to do. But rough as they were, they were strong.

"Okay," Tiger whispered.

_Protect me, little one._

* * *

A.N.: I have been rather emotionally drained lately. A little reflection of that in Tiger's piece. **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! **I'll see you on the 11th for ObscureWriter and Zoro!


	105. Nov 11- Zoro

He had forgotten. Sandai Kitetsu came whistling down, cleaving his enemy in half. His crewmates, as well as the marines they were fighting, froze.

"Demon," the captain breathed in horror, screeching for a retreat. The marines scrambled back onto their ship, and took off as fast as they could. The Straw Hats remained frozen until the enemy ship had dissapeared into the horizon.

Luffy finally looked Zoro in the eye. By this time, Zoro had realised the gravity of his mishap.

"You killed him," Luffy said, the brim of his hat casting a shadow over his face.

Zoro began shaking. He looked down and saw he was bathed in blood. His enemy, the nameless marine, was still in two parts on the ground. He looked away, unable to face his mistake. It was unspoken rule in the crew. They never, _ever_, mutilated, or killed unless absolutely necessary. Zoro had done both.

"I didn't mean to," Zoro stuttered. He felt woozy, and his head was light.

"You did mean to," said Luffy, his voice steady. Nami choked on a sob. Even Robin, who was particularly fond of gore, looked uncomfortable.

"You wouldn't have done it if you didn't mean to," said Luffy. Zoro felt suffocated and claustrophobic. He could feel the crew's disgust and mortification pressing into him.

"You're a demon," Luffy spat.

The deck of the Sunny caved, and Zoro fell through it. The two halves of the body tumbled down with him, and they were all plunged into darkness. Zoro screamed as he was shot down into what seemed like oblivion.

* * *

"Zoro! ZORO!" Sanji shook the man. Zoro woke up, his mouth agape in a half-finished scream.

"What the hell?" Sanji spluttered, his face red with exhaustion.

"I'm a demon!" Zoro clutched his head, slamming it into the floor of the crow's nest.

"Stop it!" Sanji exclaimed, restraining the swordsman, who was whirling around, looking for his swords.

"NO! Let me go!" Zoro cried, wrenching away from Sanji's grip and tearing towards the rack of bokken. He grabbed the first one he saw, and slammed it on his wrist. He heard a cracking sound, and heaved a sigh of relief when he found that it was indeed broken.

"Stop it, Marimo!" Sanji yelled, careening over to Zoro and forcing him to the floor.

"The other one," Zoro panted desperately, "let me break the other one."

"Enough already!" Sanji planted a knee in his back. He slammed his fist into Zoro's temple, and Zoro's vision blurred before fading to black.

* * *

When he came to, his head and wrist were aching. He heard Chopper grinding some herbs, and realised he was in the medical office. He struggled to sit up, unable to use his left wrist.

"Zoro!" Chopper gasped, rushing over to his bedside. He changed swiftly into a more humanoid form, and helped Zoro into a more comfortable position.

"What happened?" Chopper asked, worriedly, "Sanji said you went nuts! Did you break your own wrist? Is your head okay?"

"No, no, no, no," Zoro shook his head, clutching at the sheets of the bed. They were much too clean, much too soft, and much too pure for a demon like him.

"Zoro?" Chopper asked slowly and tentatively, "What happened?"

"I-I cut him," Zoro mumbled, clutching his forehead.

"Zoro," Chopper said softly, "please be more specific."

"I cut him in half," Zoro panted, "and then Luffy- no! Luffy!"

Zoro broke into a sweat. He was a monster, a complete monster. Why in the world would Luffy want him on this ship?

"Who did you cut?" asked Chopper.

"A-a marine," Zoro heaved, his head pounding.

"When?"

Zoro paused. How long had it been… Since he had last cleaved someone in half? His mind began spinning backwards. Days, weeks, months, and years passed until he finally settled on the last time he'd shed so much of a single person's blood.

"16. I was 16 years old."

"Chopper!" Luffy came barreling through the door.

"Luffy!" Chopper protested, grabbing the captain and preventing him from reaching Zoro.

"But he's finally up!" Luffy whined, "I was worried!"

Zoro looked at his captain in awe.

"You're not upset with me?" Zoro asked, blinking several times.

"No?" said Luffy, confused. "Why would I be?"

"You wouldn't be," Zoro realised blurrily. He had met Luffy when he was 19. Three years after he'd stopped mutilating his targets.

"Luffy," Zoro began. "If I told you, that I was a demon, and that I wasn't safe to be around, would you still want me in the crew?"

Luffy tilted his head.

"Yeah? Half of us are basically demons already," he added, stretching out his cheek for emphasis. "And you wouldn't ever hurt any of us."

"And If I cut up an enemy into lots of bits and pieces, would you mind?"

Luffy frowned.

"I trust your judgement," he said, furrowing his eyebrows. "I don't think you would do something like that unless you had to."

"No," Zoro replied, chewing on his lip, "I won't do that.

"Good," Luffy said, smiling widely at him.

* * *

A.N.: So. I was writing, and my computer crashed. I lost half of this one-shot, and nearly all of ObscureWriter's birthday shot. I've, as you can see, re-written it, but unfortunately I am 2 days late on Zoro's one-shot, and will probably be 3 days late on ObscureWriter's request shot. I feel horrid, but lesson learnt: save my work every 15 minutes or so.

I honestly feel like Zoro has to break down sometimes, doing what he does. It's not pretty, and it's probably awful to deal with. As well, dealing with his demonic side can't be fun either. Granted, he tends to embrace it, but there must be times when he isn't so keen to welcome Asura with open arms. Perhaps he'd like to feel human sometimes?

(And, on a more minor note, to address a Guest's comment concerning the use of the word 'nakama': I am aware of the definition of the word in Japanese. But I've chosen to use it because it does have a meaning contextually in One Piece that deviates from the dictionary definition. The bond between a pirate and their crew in does not, in my humble opinion, translate well as simply "comrade" or "companion". Thus, I will be continuing to use the word throughout.)


	106. Nov 11- ObscureWriter

Law was a huge bore. Baby 5 could not understand for the life of her (which was admittedly still short) _why on earth_ the Young Master had taken him in. The angsty pre-teen spent all of his time in his room, never venturing out into the base they lived in, much the less the town surrounding it.

"LAW!" Baby called, banging on the metal door. The door swung open and Law emerged, brow furrowed.

"What?" he groaned.

"We're going out today!" Baby 5 declared, trying to put on a cheerful demeanor.

"No," he slammed the door in her face.

Baby 5 bit her lip. He didn't want her around. She… She was a burden.

Law lept out of bed as soon as the crying began.

"SHUT UP!" he yelled, swinging the door open and clobbering the sobbing Baby with a pillow. She quieted down instantly, looking at him with teary eyes.

"What is wrong with you?" Law muttered, "Freak."

"You're a freak too," Baby sniffed, poking at the white spots on his skin. Law recoiled.

"Buffalo will take you, go ask him instead," he mumbled, closing the door on her. He padded back to bed and lied down, only to realise that Baby still had his pillow. Sighing, he opened the door again and jogged towards Baby.

Baby was trudging down the hall when Law put his hand on her shoulder.

"Give it back," he demanded, gesturing to the pillow she was clutching.

"Here," she uttered, shoving it into his arms. Law took the pillow and turned around.

"Please come out," said Baby. "You can't stay in there forever."

Law didn't say a word. He kept walking all the way down the hall to his room, entering, and closing the door shut. Baby huffed, and went on looking for Buffalo.

She found him in the kitchen, eating sweets.

"Doffy said you're not allowed to eat those," she grinned, rocking back and forth on her heels. Buffalo froze, turning around to see Baby looking at him smugly.

"He didn't," Buffalo paled.

"He did!" Baby giggled. "You were too busy eating pie to notice!"

Buffalo thought back to Wednesday night, when they had been served cherry pie for the first time in months. It was a very likely possibility that in his excitement, he had completely ignored the Young Master's orders. Since that night, he'd eaten about 5 packs of these candies, and if the punishment was the same as last time…

"784 training fights with Diamante?!" he cried, remembering the horrible beating he had taken. He _could not_ endure that again.

"They're a very special brand," Baby remarked, picking at her fingernails. "If only there were someone who could find-"

"Help me buy some more, Baby?" Buffalo asked. Baby perked up predictably.

"Of course!" she chirped, ecstatic that she could lend him a hand. "These in particular are sold in a specialty shop in the middle of Pen Square. Wanna head there now?"

"Yeah, let's get going," Buffalo grinned. "By the way, is the new guy still shut in his room?"

Baby pouted. Why did anyone even give a damn about that stupid kid anyways? He was boring, a total downer, and suicidal at that...

"Yeah, he's kind of a loser," she rolled her eyes.

"Doffy said he has '_potential'_," Buffalo murmured.

This wasn't particularly pleasing or displeasing to either of them. They knew Doffy had no favorites. It was simply a matter of power and strength when it came to choosing his Elite Officers. He loved all his Family the same, and would do anything for them. However, both Buffalo and Baby were a bit irked by the fact that Law had done _so little_ to earn Doffy's praise. Just the look in Law's eyes had earned him a compliment; whilst it had taken 3 S-Rank missions before Doffy finally told Buffalo that he'd done 'a good job'. So to both of them, it was frustrating.

"I want to see this _'potential'_ of his," Baby crossed her arms.

"Well, Doffy does want us to acclimate him to the Family," Buffalo mused. "Should we invite him along with us?"

Baby made a noise somewhere between a groan and a whine.

"I already asked," she muttered, "he's too busy being depressing and boring."

Buffalo shrugged.

"Doesn't matter," he said, "he can do whatever he wants."

Law walked into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes. Unbeknownst to his two peers, the boy had been eavesdropping from the doorway. Unable to take the abuse, he had decided to prove a point.

"I want to go out," he said, averting his eyes from Baby's.

"Oh, _now_ the shut-in wants to go out?" she said tauntingly.

"Will you take me through the town?" asked Law.

"O-Of course!" Baby stuttered. He wanted her to help him! She wasn't a burden to him after all!

"Anything in particular you want to get?" Buffalo asked the younger boy. The sudden behaviour was bizarre, but Buffalo could work with it. Maybe some of this 'potential' of Law's could rub off on him?

"No," said Law, "not really. Maybe some tools, but that's it."

"Tools?" Baby asked.

"For organ dissection," Law grinned creepily. A shiver went down Baby's back, and she sidestepped towards Buffalo. Maybe the idiot wasn't as boring as she thought. And maybe that wasn't a good thing…

* * *

A.N.: I am so so so horribly late. Almost 20 days late; I am so sorry. I've been so ridiculously busy and before I knew it I was missing posting date after posting date. I'll be uploading the other one-shots in (hopefully) succession, so at least they're posted in November. **ObscureWriter** wanted a one-shot featuring a typical day between Buffalo, Law, and Baby 5. I hope this fits your request! **Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, and Reader** Birthdays** are welcomed and much appreciated!**


	107. Absence

Hi everyone.

You may or may not have noticed the complete halt of updates to all my stories in the last 3 months. It felt really selfish to just let you all hang, so I wanted to let you know that I'm formally going on a hiatus.

Reason being that HBOP just completely drained me. I knew it was going to be a heavy workload, but every time I fell behind slightly I found myself struggling and cutting corners to catch up, which was not how I wanted to do that fic at all. It made me feel stressed, and I came to the realization that my pastimes shouldn't be giving me this much anxiety.

I feel bad for those of you who have been supporting me for the last year and some, but I am so much happier now. Thank you for understanding.

~Angel


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